Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 119 / Thursday, June 24, 2021 / Notices 33473 

1 85 FR 44994. 

2See Docket No. PHMSA–2018–0025 available at 

www.regulations.gov. 

Whittier, AK, to milepost 64.3 of the 

ARRC mainline. The previous approval 

includes conditions to reduce risks to 

public safety and the environment. 

FRA’s previous approval letters are 

available in this public Docket for 

reference. 

Although ARRC hasn’t yet moved any 

product commercially by rail, under the 

terms of FRA’s previous approval, LNG 

has been moved commercially in 

portable tanks on other rail networks 

since 2017 without incident. FRA is 

basing this approval on risk assessments 

for similar operations it has approved. 

An analysis under the National 

Environmental Policy Act was 

conducted for this approval; it was 

determined to be covered by the 

categorical exclusion in 23 CFR 

771.116(c)(15). 

FRA recognizes that public interest 

involving the safe transportation of 

petroleum products and specifically 

LNG is heightened, given recent 

regulatory actions. On July 24, 2020, the 

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety 

Administration published a final rule 1

authorizing the transportation of LNG in 

cryogenic tank cars with enhanced outer 

tanks (e.g., DOT–113C120W9). In the 

final rule, PHMSA indicated that 445 

comments were submitted to the docket 

during the comment period.2 In light of 

the heightened public interest in the 

safe transportation of petroleum 

products, FRA believes it is appropriate 

to provide public notice and 

opportunity to comment on FRA’s 

approval, to ensure that it contains all 

necessary conditions to ensure the 

safety of ARRC’s LNG operations. 

FRA approves ARRC’s request 

conditioned on compliance with 

appropriate safety measures. All 

conditions of FRA’s prior approvals for 

ARRC remain in effect, with additional 

conditions added to ensure safe 

operations. Below, FRA has generally 

listed its conditions of approval, but 

further details on thee conditions are 

available in FRA’s conditional approval 

letter in the public docket. 

1. Mandatory inspections. 

2. Mandatory trainings. 

3. Load limitations. 

4. Reporting requirements. 

5. Container number restrictions. 

6. Prohibition on double stacking. 

7. Train placement requirement. 

8. Speed restrictions. 

9. Regular oversight. 

10. Risk assessment. 

FRA’s approval is effective through 

December 31, 2022. If ARRC desires to 

continue operations under this approval 

after December 31, 2022, it must notify 

FRA of its intent to continue operations 

no later than September 1, 2022. If 

ARRC desires to modify its operations 

from those permitted by FRA’s approval 

letter, it must obtain FRA’s approval 

before implementing the proposed 

modification(s). 

Issued in Washington, DC. 

John Karl Alexy, 

Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety 

Chief Safety Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2021–13447 Filed 6–23–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4910–06–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Federal Transit Administration 

[Docket No. FTA–2021–0006] 

Agency Information Collection Activity 

Under OMB Review 

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, 

DOT. 

ACTION: Notice of request for comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 

notice announces the intention of the 

Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to 

request the Office of Management and 

Budget (OMB) approve the extension of 

a currently approved information 

collection, previously initiated as a 

request for emergency OMB approval. 

The FTA is collecting this information 

to inform FTA actions to support the 

transit industry’s COVID–19 recovery 

efforts. The information collection 

requirements describe the nature of the 

information collection and their 

expected burdens. 

DATES: Comments must be submitted 

before August 23, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: To ensure that your 

comments are not entered more than 

once into the docket, submit comments 

identified by the docket number by only 

one of the following methods: 

1. Website: www.regulations.gov. 

Follow the instructions for submitting 

comments on the U.S. Government 

electronic docket site. (Note: The U.S. 

Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) 

electronic docket is no longer accepting 

electronic comments.) All electronic 

submissions must be made to the U.S. 

Government electronic docket site at 

www.regulations.gov. Commenters 

should follow the directions below for 

mailed and hand-delivered comments. 

2. Fax: 202–366–7951. 

3. Mail: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Docket Operations, M–30, 

West Building, Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001. 

4. Hand Delivery: U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, Docket Operations, M–30, 

West Building, Ground Floor, Room 

W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001 

between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., 

Monday through Friday, except Federal 

holidays. 

Instructions: You must include the 

agency name and docket number for this 

notice at the beginning of your 

comments. Submit two copies of your 

comments, if you submit them by mail. 

For confirmation that FTA has received 

your comments, include a selfaddressed stamped postcard. Note that 

all comments received, including any 

personal information, will be posted 

and will be available to internet users, 

without change, to www.regulations.gov. 

You may review DOT’s complete 

Privacy Act Statement in the Federal 

Register published April 11, 2000, (65 

FR 19477), or you may visit 

www.regulations.gov. 

Docket: For access to the docket to 

read background documents and 

comments received, go to 

www.regulations.gov at any time. 

Background documents and comments 

received may also be viewed at the U.S. 

Department of Transportation, 1200 

New Jersey Avenue SE, Docket 

Operations, M–30, West Building, 

Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

Washington, DC 20590–0001 between 

9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday 

through Friday, except Federal holidays. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Candace Key, Office of Transit Safety 

and Oversight—Office of System Safety, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Mail Stop 

TSO–10, Washington, DC 20590 (202) 

366–1783 or candace.key@dot.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Interested 

parties are invited to send comments 

regarding any aspect of this information 

collection, including: (1) The necessity 

and utility of the information collection 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the FTA; (2) the accuracy 

of the estimated burden; (3) ways to 

enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 

of the collected information; and (4) 

ways to minimize the collection burden 

without reducing the quality of the 

collected information. Comments 

submitted in response to this notice will 

be summarized and/or included in the 

request for OMB approval of this 

information collection. 

Title: Transit COVID Response Program 

(OMB Number: 2132–0581) 

Background: COVID–19 continues to 

pose significant challenges for the 


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33474 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 119 / Thursday, June 24, 2021 / Notices 

transit industry. Numerous transit 

providers have suspended service and a 

greater number have reduced service. 

Yet, throughout the COVID–19 public 

health emergency, transit agencies 

across the country continue to provide 

millions of trips to lifeline services, 

including transporting healthcare 

personnel and other essential workers 

on the front line of the Nation’s COVID– 

19 response. Transit agencies also offer 

additional essential services to support 

communities during the public health 

emergency, such as meal delivery and 

Wi-Fi access in underserved areas. 

Many transit agencies are also serving a 

critical role in providing free or 

reduced-cost transportation to 

vaccination sites and appointments, and 

using their facilities and vehicles as 

vaccination sites. Accordingly, the U.S. 

Department of Homeland Security’s 

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure 

Security Agency designates transit 

workers as essential critical 

infrastructure workers. 

Transit agencies and other 

stakeholders have expressed concerns 

about the risk of COVID–19 to the 

transit industry and, along with the 

FTA, have taken steps to address these 

concerns. Numerous transit agencies 

have implemented mitigations to limit 

the transmission of SARS-CoV–2, the 

virus that causes COVID–19, among 

their workers and within their systems. 

Despite these efforts, frontline transit 

workers remain at high risk for workrelated exposure to SARS-CoV–2 

because their work-related duties must 

be performed on-site and involve being 

in close proximity (<6 feet) to the public 

or to coworkers. In addition, many 

transit workers fall within racial and 

socioeconomic demographics that are at 

increased risk of getting sick and dying 

from COVID–19. 

In December 2020, the U.S. Food and 

Drug Administration (FDA) issued 

Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) 

for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna 

COVID–19 vaccines, and in February 

2021 issued an EUA for the Johnson & 

Johnson (Janssen) COVID–19 vaccine. 

COVID–19 vaccines are available to all 

individuals, 12 years and older, in every 

U.S. State and over half of eligible 

individuals have received at least one 

vaccine shot. However, challenges 

concerning vaccine access equity and 

vaccine confidence continue to pose 

obstacles to reaching national 

vaccination goals. As a result, it may 

take many months before sufficientlyhigh numbers of frontline transit 

workers will be vaccinated, though their 

communities will continue to rely on 

them to provide critical transportation 

services every day—including 

transportation to vaccination sites. 

On January 21, 2021, President Biden 

issued Executive Order 13998 titled 

‘‘Promoting COVID–19 Safety in 

Domestic and International Travel’’ ‘‘to 

save lives and allow all Americans, 

including the millions of people 

employed in the transportation 

industry, to travel and work safely,’’ 

requiring immediate Federal action to 

mandate masks on public forms of 

transportation, including transit. On 

January 29, 2021, the CDC issued an 

Order requiring the wearing of masks by 

travelers, including on public 

transportation, to prevent spread of the 

virus that causes COVID–19. The CDC 

Order requires transportation operators 

to require that all persons wear masks 

when boarding, disembarking, and for 

the duration of travel, with certain 

exemptions. Operators of transportation 

hubs, which include bus terminals and 

subway stations, must require all 

persons to wear a mask when entering 

and on the premises of a transportation 

hub. Subsequently, the Transportation 

Security Administration (TSA) issued a 

Security Directive on February 1, 2021 

that implements the CDC Order that is 

effective through September 13, 2021. 

The FTA published a notice of request 

for emergency OMB approval on March 

5, 2021. FTA created an information 

collection system for respondents to 

provide the required information to 

FTA. The system was opened to 

respondents on March 15, 2021 and the 

first reports were due on April 16, 2021. 

The FTA plays a critical role in 

providing risk-based guidance and 

support for the COVID–19 recovery 

efforts of the transit industry. 

Accordingly, the FTA has required that 

respondents provide the following 

information using a fillable electronic 

online application: Transit Worker 

Counts: Total number of transit 

operators, other frontline essential 

personnel, and other workers during the 

reporting period. 

COVID–19 Impacts on Transit Agency 

Service Levels: Yes or no responses to 

indicate if the agency suspended 

service, reduced service, or operated at 

normal levels during the reporting 

period. 

COVID–19 Impacts on Transit 

Workforce: Cumulative counts of transit 

worker COVID–19 positives, fatalities, 

recoveries, and unvaccinated employees 

during the reporting period, and yes or 

no responses on whether the agency is 

requiring workers to be vaccinated, 

whether the agency has implemented 

the CDC Order and TSA Security 

Directive requiring workers and 

passengers to wear masks, and whether 

the agency is using FTA funds to 

provide vaccine access services. 

Summary of Comments Received 

FTA received comments to its notice 

of request for emergency OMB approval 

from eight respondents during the 

comment period. 

Five respondents noted concerns with 

providing data on the number of 

vaccinated workers. FTA has clarified 

that while it expects all respondent 

agencies to collect and submit COVID– 

19 data for all transit workers, if an 

agency or its contractor is prohibited by 

State or local laws from collecting data 

on whether their employees have been 

vaccinated, the respondent should not 

include these workers in the ‘‘Number 

of Workers Not Vaccinated’’ field. 

Further, the form allows agencies to 

leave this form blank in such a 

situation. 

Two respondents noted concerns with 

collecting information on worker 

COVID–19 cases, recoveries, and 

fatalities. Agencies should submit 

COVID–19 data, to the extent that they 

are able to compile such information, 

for all workers (employees and 

contractors) that support the operation 

of the agency. FTA encourages agencies 

to report data based on their current 

knowledge and understanding of the 

COVID–19 impacts on their 

organization. 

Two respondents noted concerns with 

the feasibility of collecting and 

reporting, and the level of effort 

required to collect and report required 

data points. In an effort to reduce the 

burden on reporters, FTA has leveraged 

its existing Transit Integrated Appian 

Development Platform, the platform that 

hosts the National Transit Database 

(NTD), to facilitate reporting through an 

online application. FTA also has made 

available a Recurring Form Template 

which was developed to assist Section 

5311 recipients with collecting data on 

behalf of their subrecipients in support 

of the Transit COVID–19 Response 

Program Information Collection online 

application. The template includes the 

same fields and options as the Recurring 

Form in the online application. 

One respondent requested 

clarification on how FTA will handle 

late reports. Respondents may submit 

and/or revise their responses at any time 

in either the Baseline Form or the 

Recurring Form to address errors or if 

updated data becomes available. 

One respondent requested the 

exclusion of Section 5311 subrecipients 

from the reporting requirement. The 

reporting requirement is a condition of 

FTA funding assistance. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 119 / Thursday, June 24, 2021 / Notices 33475 

One respondent requested a 30-day 

extension of the comment period for the 

notice of request for emergency OMB 

approval. Respondents will have the 

opportunity to provide written 

comments to this notice. 

Respondents: FTA will require this 

information, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 5334, 

from recipients and subrecipients of 

FTA funds under the Urbanized Area 

Formula Funding program (49 U.S.C. 

5307) or the Formula Grants for Rural 

Areas program (49 U.S.C. 5311) that 

operate transit systems or pass through 

funds to sub-recipients that operate 

transit systems. Recipients of FTA funds 

under the Enhanced Mobility of Seniors 

and Individuals with Disabilities 

program (49 U.S.C. 5310) may provide 

this information on a voluntary basis. 

Estimated Average Total Annual 

Respondents: 2,390 respondents. 

Estimated Average Total Responses: 

28,680. 

Estimated Annual Burden Hours: 

10,356. 

Frequency: Monthly through 

December 31, 2021, or the duration of 

the COVID–19 public health emergency, 

whichever comes first. 

Nadine Pembleton, 

Director Office of Management Planning. 

[FR Doc. 2021–13352 Filed 6–23–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

[Docket No. DOT–OST–2021–0075] 

Notice of Proposed Agency 

Information Collection Activities; 

Modification of Existing Information 

Collection 

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, 

Department of Transportation. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

requirements of the Paperwork 

Reduction Act of 1995, the Department 

of Transportation (the Department) 

invites public comments on a request to 

the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) to approve modifications to a 

currently approved Information 

Collection Request (ICR). The forms 

have been updated to reflect efficiencies 

in the application process adopted by 

the Department, provide clarifying 

information, and make the forms easier 

for applicants to use. The general 

process of applying for credit assistance 

is not changing; applications are still 

accepted on a rolling basis. The ICR 

continues to be necessary for the 

Department to evaluate projects and 

project sponsors for credit program 

eligibility and creditworthiness as 

required by law. 

DATES: We must receive your comments 

on or before August 23, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: All comments should 

reference Federal Docket Management 

System (FDMS) Docket No. DOT–OST– 

2021–0075. Interested persons are 

invited to submit written comments on 

the proposed information collection 

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 Delivery: Docket Management 

Facility, U.S. Department of 

Transportation, 1200 New Jersey 

Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12– 

140, Washington, DC 20590. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The 

Build America Bureau at 

BuildAmerica@dot.gov or (202) 366– 

2300. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

OMB Control Number: 2105–0569. 

Title: Letter of Interest and 

Application Forms for the Railroad 

Rehabilitation and Improvement 

Financing and Transportation 

Infrastructure Financing and Innovation 

Act Credit Programs. 

Type of Review: Modification of 

existing information collections. 

Background: The RRIF credit program 

has its origins in Title V of the Railroad 

Revitalization and Regulatory Reform 

Act of 1976, 45 U.S.C. 821 et seq., which 

authorized the Federal Railroad 

Administration to provide railroads 

certain financial assistance. This Title V 

financing program was replaced by the 

RRIF program under section 7203 of the 

Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 

Century of 1998, Public Law 105–178 

(1998) (TEA 21). RRIF was subsequently 

amended by: The Safe, Accountable, 

Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity 

Act: A Legacy for Users, Public Law 

109–59 (2005) (SAFETEA–LU); the Rail 

Safety Improvement Act of 2008, 

Division A of Public Law 110–432; and 

the Fixing America’s Surface 

Transportation Act (Pub. L. 114–94) 

(2015) (FAST Act). All applicants for 

RRIF credit program assistance are 

required to submit a completed 

application. 45 U.S.C. 823(a). The 

information collection activity request 

for the RRIF credit program application 

was most recently approved in 2018 

(OMB Control Number 2105–0569). See 

83 FR 23525 and 83 FR 35534. 

The Transportation Infrastructure 

Finance and Innovation Act of 1998 was 

enacted as part of TEA 21. The TIFIA 

program was subsequently amended by 

SAFETEA–LU, the Moving Ahead for 

Progress in the 21st Century Act (Pub. 

L. 112–141) (2012) (MAP–21), and the 

FAST Act. All applicants for TIFIA 

credit program assistance are required to 

submit a completed LOI and 

application. 23 U.S.C. 602(a)(1)(A). The 

existing information collection activity 

request for the TIFIA credit program 

letter of interest and application was 

most recently approved in 2018 (OMB 

Control Number 2105–0569). See 83 FR 

23525 and 83 FR 35534. 

The National Surface Transportation 

and Innovative Finance Bureau 

(referenced hereafter as the Build 

America Bureau or the Bureau), 

established by the Secretary on July 20, 

2016, in accordance with the FAST Act, 

was created to streamline and improve 

access to the Department’s Federal 

credit programs, including RRIF and 

TIFIA. The Bureau was made 

responsible for administering the 

application processes for the TIFIA and 

RRIF credit programs. To streamline and 

conform these application processes, the 

Bureau created a single LOI form and a 

single application form that can be used 

by applicants of either credit program. 

Both the LOI form and the application 

form have been updated to reflect 

efficiencies in the application process 

adopted by the Department, provide 

clarifying information, and make the 

forms easier for applicants to use. 

Because some key statutory differences 

exist between the two programs’ 

application processes and eligibility 

criteria, the forms have been 

reorganized to clearly identify where an 

item of information applies only for one 

of the programs and need not be 

answered by applicants of the other 

program. The Department seeks OMB 

approval to modify the LOI and 

application. The forms have also been 

reviewed to ensure that all information 

requested is necessary for the 

Department to properly perform its 

functions in administering its credit 

programs and updated to reflect the 

current statutory requirements. 

The LOI asks the applicant to 

describe, among other things, the project 

and its location, purpose and cost; the 

proposed financial plan, the status of 

environmental review, and certain 

information regarding satisfaction of 

other eligibility requirements under the 

applicable credit program. The 

application serves as the official request 

for credit and, therefore, requires the 

same information required of the LOI, 

plus detailed information about the 

applicant’s legal and management 

structure, its financial health, the 

revenue stream pledged to repay the 

loan, and other information regarding 


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