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 Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration
 AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.
 ACTION: Notice.
 SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and its implementing regulations, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) hereby announces that it is seeking renewal of the following currently approved information collection activities. Before submitting these information collection requirements for clearance by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), FRA is soliciting public comment on specific aspects of the activities identified below.
 DATES: Comments must be received no later than November 24, 2008.
 ADDRESSES: Submit written comments on any or all of the following proposed activities by mail to either: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Safety, Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop-25, Washington, DC 20590, or Ms. Nakia Jackson, Office of Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590. Commenters requesting FRA to acknowledge receipt of their respective comments must include a self-addressed stamped postcard stating, “Comments on OMB control number 2130-0571.” Alternatively, comments may be transmitted via facsimile to (202) 493-6216 or (202) 493-6497, or via e-mail to Mr. Brogan at 
                        *robert.brogan@dot.gov*, or to Ms. Jackson at 
                        *nakia.jackson@dot.gov*. Please refer to the assigned OMB control number in any correspondence submitted. FRA will summarize comments received in 
                        ( print page 55590)
                        response to this notice in a subsequent notice and include them in its information collection submission to OMB for approval.
 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop 25, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6292) or Ms. Nakia Jackson, Office of Information Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: (202) 493-6073). (These telephone numbers are not toll-free.)


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), Pub. L. No. 104-13, § 2, 109 Stat. 163 (1995) (codified as revised at 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR Part 1320, require Federal agencies to provide 60 days notice to the public for comment on information collection activities before seeking approval for reinstatement or renewal by OMB. 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1), 1320.10(e)(1), 1320.12(a). Specifically, FRA invites interested respondents to comment on the following summary of proposed information collection activities regarding (i) Whether the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether the activities will have practical utility; (ii) the accuracy of FRA's estimates of the burden of the information collection activities, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used to determine the estimates; (iii) ways for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (iv) ways for FRA to minimize the burden of information collection activities on the public by automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology (
                    *e.g.*, permitting electronic submission of responses). 
                    *See*44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)(i)-(iv); 5 CFR 1320.8(d)(1)(i)-(iv). FRA believes that soliciting public comment will promote its efforts to reduce the administrative and paperwork burdens associated with the collection of information mandated by Federal regulations. In summary, FRA reasons that comments received will advance three objectives: (i) Reduce reporting burdens; (ii) ensure that it organizes information collection requirements in a “user friendly” format to improve the use of such information; and (iii) accurately assess the resources expended to retrieve and produce information requested. See 44 U.S.C. 3501. Below is a brief summary of currently approved information collection activities that FRA will submit for clearance by OMB as required under the PRA: *Title:*
                     Occupational Noise Exposure for Railroad Operating Employees. *OMB Control Number:*
                     2130-0571. *Abstract:*
                     The collection of information is used by FRA to ensure that railroads covered by this rule establish and implement—by specified dates—noise monitoring, hearing conservation, and audiometric testing programs, as well as hearing conservation training programs, to protect their employees against the damaging and potentially dangerous effects of excessive noise in the everyday rail environment. *Affected Public:*
                     Businesses. *Respondent Universe:*
                     460 railroads. *Frequency of Submission:*
                     On occasion. *Reporting Burden:* CFR section
Respondent
                             universe
Total annual
                             responses
Average time
                             per response
Total annual
                             burden hours227.9—Waivers
460 Railroads
5 petitions
60 minutes
5227.103—Noise Monitoring Program
460 Railroads
460 programs
2 hours/8 hours/600 hours
5,165—Notification of Employee of Monitoring
460 Railroads
905 lists
30 minutes
453227.107—Hearing Conservation Program (HCP)
460 Railroads
461 HCPs
150 hrs/2 hrs/31 hrs/7.5 hours
2,875—Revised Hearing Conservation Programs (HCPs)
460 Railroads
92 HCPs
1.74 hours
160227.109—Audiometric Testing Program—Existing Employees—Baseline Audiograms
78,000 Employees
60,000 audiograms +  6,000 audiograms
7 min./25 minutes
7,000  + 2,500—Periodic Audiograms
78,000 Employees
8,000 audiograms
25 minutes
3,333—Evaluation of Audiograms
78,000 Employees
2,330 evaluations + 93 retests
6 min./2.5 hours
466—Problem Audiograms
8,000 Employees
45 documents
10 minutes
8—Follow-up Procedures—Notifications
8,000 Employees
93 notifications
15 minutes
24—Fitting/Training of Employees: Hearing Protectors
240 Employees
240 tr. sessions
2 minutes
8—Referrals for Clinical/Otological Examinations
240 Employees
20 referrals/results
2 hours
40—Notification to Employee of Need: Otological Examination
240 Employees
20 notifications
5 minutes
2—New Audiometric Interpretation
240 Employees
20 notifications
5 minutes
2227.111—Audiometric Test Requirements
1,000 Mobile Vans
1,000 tests
45 minutes
750227.117—Hearing Protection Attenuation—Evaluation
460 Railroads
50 evaluations
30 minutes
25—Re-Evaluations
460 Railroads
10 re-evaluations
30 minutes
5227.119—Hearing Conservation Training Program—Development
460 Railroads/AAR
461 programs
8 hours/2 hours/116 hours/1 hour
956—Employee Training
460 Railroads
26,000 tr. Empl
30 minutes
13,000—Periodic Training
460 Railroads
7,000 tr. Empl
30 minutes
3,500227.121—Recordkeeping—Authorization: Records
460 Railroads
10 requests + 10 responses
10 min. + 15 min
5—Request for Copies of Reports
460 Railroads
150 requests + 150 responses
21 min. + 45 min
166—Records Transfer When Carrier Becomes Defunct
460 Railroads
10 records
24 minutes
4( print page 55591)—Railroad Audiometric Test Records
460 Railroads
26,000 records
2 minutes
867—Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) Records
460 Railroads
54,000 records
45 seconds
675—HCP Training Records of Employees
460 Railroads
26,000 records
30 seconds
217—Records: Standard Threshold Shifts of Employees
460 Railroads
280 records
7 minutes
33229.121—Locomotive Cab Noise—Tests/Certifications
3 Equipment Manufacturers
700 tests/certific
40 min. + 5 min
111—Equipment Maintenance: Excessive Noise Reports
460 Railroads
3,000 reports +  3,000 records
10 min. + 5 min
750—Maintenance Records
460 Railroads
3,750 records
8 minutes
500—Internal Auditable Monitoring Systems
570 Railroads
570 systems
36 min. + 8.25 hour
572Appendix H—Static Test Protocols/Records
700 Locomotives
2 retests + 2 records
35 min. + 5 min
1
 *Total Responses:*
                     230,939. *Estimated Total Annual Burden:*
                     44,178 hours. *Status:*
                     Regular Review. Pursuant to 44 U.S.C. 3507(a) and 5 CFR 1320.5(b), 1320.8(b)(3)(vi), FRA informs all interested parties that it may not conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. Authority:
                    44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. Issued in Washington, DC on September 19, 2008. D.J. Stadtler, Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad Administration.


[FR Doc. E8-22563 Filed 9-24-08; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-06-P