8754 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 32 / Wednesday, February 18, 2015 / Notices 

1The roller assemblies and plates are 

manufactured in Switzerland; the ZU1–60 steel 

switch point rail sections are manufactured in 

Austria; and the MPFs are manufactured in 

Germany. 

2FTA defers to LIRR’s spelling and punctuation 

of the manufacturers’ names as presented in LIRR’s 

July 31, 2014, letter. 

concluded that it was unable to identify 

a domestic source for track turnout 

components—i.e., Schwihag roller 

assemblies, Schwihag plates, ZU1–60 

steel switch point rail sections, and 

MPFs—that LIRR needs for VHL03 LIRR 

Stage 3 and VHL04 LIRR Stage 4 of the 

ESA Project. 

In February 2014, LIRR issued a 

competitive solicitation seeking vendors 

to provide five (5) turnouts for VHL03 

LIRR Stage 3 of the ESA Project. LIRR 

received only one response, and it was 

from VAE Nortrak North America Inc. 

(Nortrak), which certified that it was not 

compliant with the Buy America 

requirements. Based on LIRR’s prior 

experience in procuring the same or 

similar turnouts, LIRR has found that 

Nortrak and Progress Rail Services 

Corporation (Progress) are the only two 

vendors that are technically capable of 

manufacturing turnouts with the roller 

assemblies, plates, ZU1–60 steel switch 

point rail sections, and MPFs that LIRR 

requires for the ESA Project. According 

to LIRR, Nortrak and Progress 

manufacture the turnouts domestically, 

but the turnout components that are the 

subject of this waiver are presently 

manufactured only non-domestically.1

Progress did not submit a bid in 

response to the February 2014 

solicitation related to VHL03 LIRR Stage 

3 of the ESA Project. 

Furthermore, in support of its 

requests, LIRR also conducted market 

research and manufacturer outreach. In 

conducting this research, LIRR utilized 

the National Railroad Passenger 

Corporation’s (Amtrak) previous market 

research regarding potential domestic 

manufacturers of the four component 

types that are the subject of this notice. 

Amtrak conducted its market research at 

the request of FRA, and the research 

included outreach to manufacturers that 

were previously identified by the U.S. 

Department of Commerce’s National 

Institute of Standards and Technology 

(NIST) in a December 2012 Supplier 

Scouting Report. 

Additionally, LIRR conducted its own 

independent outreach and contacted 

seven potential manufacturers: Unitrac 

Railroad Materials, Inc., Arcelor Mittal, 

J. Manufacturing Inc., Steel Dynamics, 

Inc., Metal Tech, Compucision, LLC, 

and IAT International Inc.2 Three of the 

seven potential manufacturers failed to 

respond to repeated requests for 

information. Four manufacturers 

responded, but LIRR concluded that the 

four manufacturers were not potential 

domestic sources for the components 

because the manufacturers each stated 

that either it did not currently 

manufacture the components or it did 

not appear economically feasible for the 

manufacturer to manufacture the 

components in the quantities needed by 

LIRR. One of the four responsive 

manufacturers, Compucision, LLC, 

expressed interested, but it had never 

manufactured the components 

previously and had little knowledge of 

the technical requirements. Based on 

these efforts, LIRR determined that there 

are no U.S. manufacturers that are 

willing and capable of producing the 

turnout components that are presently 

required for VHL03 LIRR Stage 3 and 

VHL04 LIRR Stage 4 the ESA Project. 

On December 19, 2014, FTA 

published a Federal Register notice 

requesting comment on LIRR’s waiver 

request, pursuant to 49 CFR 661.7. 79 

FR 75857 (Dec. 19, 2014). No comments 

were received to the docket. 

Based upon LIRR’s good faith efforts 

to identify potential domestic 

manufacturers for these track turnout 

components, LIRR’s informed 

conclusion that there are presently no 

U.S. manufacturers that are willing and 

capable of producing the turnout 

components needed for VHL03 LIRR 

Stage 3 and VHL04 LIRR Stage 4 of the 

ESA Project, and the lack of responses 

to FTA’s Federal Register Notice, FTA 

is issuing a non-availability waiver, 

pursuant to 49 CFR 661.7(c), for LIRR’s 

procurement of the track turnout 

components—i.e., Schwihag roller 

assemblies, Schwihag plates, ZU1–60 

steel switch point rail sections, and 

MPFs—but in connection with only the 

nine (9) turnouts needed for VHL03 

LIRR Stage 3 and the one (1) turnout 

needed for VHL04 LIRR Stage 4 of the 

East Side Access Project, as set forth 

above. Subsequent waiver requests for 

track turnout components will be 

subject to notice-and-comment 

publication requirements. This waiver 

does not apply to the turnouts 

themselves, and, accordingly, the 

turnouts must be manufactured in the 

United States pursuant to FTA’s Buy 

America requirements. See 49 CFR part 

661. 

Furthermore, this Buy America 

waiver does not apply to the track 

turnout components for Phase I of 

LIRR’s Jamaica Capacity Improvements 

Project, which will be addressed in a 

separate waiver decision by FTA. With 

respect to LIRR’s Buy America waiver 

request from March 26, 2013 (and 

supplemented on September 19, 2014) 

for track turnout components of one (1) 

#20 tangential geometry turnout for 

LIRR’s State of Good Repair (SGR) 

Program, LIRR withdrew that waiver 

request on February 9, 2015 due to a 

potential domestically produced 

alternative turnout for its SGR program. 

Furthermore, this Buy America 

waiver does not apply to the track 

turnout components for the Northeast 

Corridor Congestion Relief Project at 

Harold Interlocking, which is being 

addressed in a separate waiver decision 

published by FRA, as FRA funds are 

being used for that project. 

Dana Nifosi, 

Acting Chief Counsel. 

[FR Doc. 2015–03242 Filed 2–17–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–57–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Maritime Administration 

[Docket No. DOT–MARAD 2015 0020] 

Request for Comments of a Previously 

Approved Information Collection 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In compliance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice 

announces that the Information 

Collection Request (ICR) abstracted 

below is being forwarded to the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) for 

review and comments. A Federal 

Register Notice with a 60-day comment 

period soliciting comments on the 

following information collection was 

published on November 26, 2014 

(Federal Register 70610, Vol. 79, No. 

228). 

DATES: Comments must be submitted on 

or before March 20, 2015. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Elizabeth Gearhart, 202–366–1867, 

Office of Shipyards and Marine 

Engineering, Maritime Administration 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., 

Washington, DC 20590. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Title: Shipbuilding Orderbook and 

Shipyard Employment. 

OMB Control Number: 2133–0029. 

Type of Request: Renewal of a 

Previously Approved Information 

Collection. 

Abstract: MARAD collects this 

information from the shipbuilding and 

ship repair industry primarily to 

determine if an adequate mobilization 

base exists for national defense and for 

use in a national emergency. 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 32 / Wednesday, February 18, 2015 / Notices 8755 

Affected Public: Owners of U.S. 

shipyards who agree to complete the 

requested information. 

Estimated Number of Respondents: 

200. 

Estimated Number of Responses: 800. 

Annual Estimated Total Annual 

Burden Hours: 400. 

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding 

the burden estimate, including 

suggestions for reducing the burden, to 

the Office of Management and Budget, 

Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of 

the Secretary of Transportation, 725 

17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503. 

Comments are invited on: Whether the 

proposed collection of information is 

necessary for the proper performance of 

the functions of the Department, 

including whether the information will 

have practical utility; the accuracy of 

the Department’s estimate of the burden 

of the proposed information collection; 

ways to enhance the quality, utility and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected; and ways to minimize the 

burden of the collection of information 

on respondents, including the use of 

automated collection techniques or 

other forms of information technology. 

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; 

and 49 CFR 1.93. 

Dated: February 10, 2015. 

Christine Gurland, 

Acting Secretary, Maritime Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2015–03372 Filed 2–17–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–81–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Maritime Administration 

[Docket No. DOT–MARAD—2015–0012] 

Agency Requests for Renewal of a 

Previously Approved Information 

Collection(s): Requirements for 

Eligibility of U.S.-Flag Vessels of 100 

Feet or Greater in Registered Length to 

Obtain a Fishery Endorsement 

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration 

(MARAD) invites public comments 

about our intention to request the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) 

approval to renew an information 

collection. We are required to publish 

this notice in the Federal Register by 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. 

DATES: Written comments should be 

submitted by April 20, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

[identified by Docket No. DOT– 

MARAD–2015–0012] through one of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 1–202–493–2251 

• Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket 

Management Facility, U.S. Department 

of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE., West Building, Room W12– 

140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except on Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Michael C. Pucci, (202) 366–5167, 

Division of Maritime Programs, 

Maritime Administration, 1200 New 

Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 

20590. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

OMB Control Number: 2133–0530 

Title: Form Numbers: Requirements 

for Eligibility of U.S.-Flag Vessels of 100 

Feet or Greater in Registered Length to 

Obtain a Fishery Endorsement. 

Type of Review: Renewal of an 

information collection. 

Background: In accordance with the 

American Fisheries Act of 1998, owners 

of vessels of 100 feet or greater who 

wish to obtain a fishery endorsement to 

the vessels’ documentation are required 

to file with the Maritime Administration 

(MARAD) an Affidavit of United States 

Citizenship. The information collection 

is necessary for MARAD to determine 

that a particular vessel is owned and 

controlled by United Sates citizens and 

is eligible to receive a fishery 

endorsement to its documentation. 

Respondents: Vessel owners, 

charterers, mortgagees, mortgage 

trustees and managers of vessels of 100 

feet or greater who seek a fishery 

endorsement for the vessel. 

Number of Respondents: 500. 

Frequency: Annually. 

Number of Responses: 500. 

Total Annual Burden: 2950. 

Public Comments Invited: You are 

asked to comment on any aspect of this 

information collection, including (a) 

Whether the proposed collection of 

information is necessary for the 

Department’s performance; (b) the 

accuracy of the estimated burden; (c) 

ways for the Department to enhance the 

quality, utility and clarity of the 

information collection; and (d) ways 

that the burden could be minimized 

without reducing the quality of the 

collected information. The agency will 

summarize and/or include your 

comments in the request for OMB’s 

clearance of this information collection. 

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act 

of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended; 

and 49 CFR 1.93. 

Dated: February 3, 2015. 

Christine Gurland, 

Acting Secretary, Maritime Administration. 

[FR Doc. 2015–03380 Filed 2–17–15; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–81–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Maritime Administration 

[Docket No. DOT–MARAD–2015–0011] 

Agency Requests for Renewal of a 

Previously Approved Information 

Collection(s): U.S. Merchant Marine 

Academy Candidate Application for 

Admission. 

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments 

SUMMARY: The Maritime Administration 

(MARAD) invites public comments 

about our intention to request the Office 

of Management and Budget (OMB) 

approval to renew an information 

collection. We are required to publish 

this notice in the Federal Register by 

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 

Public Law 104–13. 

DATES: Written comments should be 

submitted by April 20, 2015. 

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments 

[identified by Docket No. DOT– 

MARAD–2015–0011] through one of the 

following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http:// 

www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 

instructions for submitting comments. 

• Fax: 1–202–493–2251 

• Mail or Hand Delivery: Docket 

Management Facility, U.S. Department 

of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12– 

140, Washington, DC 20590, between 9 

a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except on Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Office of Admission, 516–726–5646, 

Maritime Administration, U.S. 

Merchant Marine Academy, Office of 

Admissions, 300 Steamboat Road, New 

York, NY 11024. Copies of this 

collection also can be obtained from that 

office. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

OMB Control Number: 2133–0010. 

Title: U.S. Merchant Marine Academy 

Candidate Application for Admission. 

Form Numbers: KP 2–65. 

Type of Review: Renewal of an 

information collection. 

Background: The collection consists 

of Parts I, II, and III of Form KP 2–65 


emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with NOTICES