Document ID: FRA-2009-0001-0023
Agency: fra
Document Type: Rule
Title: Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request
Posted Date: 2009-09-23T04:00Z

[Federal Register: September 23, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 183)]
[Notices]               
[Page 48623-48624]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23se09-130]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2009-0001-N-21]

 
Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice announces that the Information 
Collection Requirement (ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR 
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected 
burden. The Federal Register notice with a 60-day comment period 
soliciting comments on the following collection of information was 
published on June 26, 2009 (74 FR 30662).

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before October 23, 2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Robert Brogan, Office of Safety, 
Planning and Evaluation Division, RRS-21, Federal Railroad 
Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., 3rd Floor, 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., 3rd Floor, 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), 
Public Law 104-13, Section 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 issue two notices seeking public 
comment on information collection activities before OMB may approve 
paperwork packages. 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.5, 1320.8(d)(1), 
1320.12. On June 26, 2009, FRA published a 60-day notice in the Federal 
Register soliciting comment on this ICR that the agency was seeking OMB 
approval. 74 FR 30662. FRA received no comments in response to this 
notice.
    Before OMB decides whether to approve these proposed collections of 
information, it must provide 30-days for public comment. 44 U.S.C. 
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.12(d). Federal law requires OMB to approve or 
disapprove paperwork packages between 30 and 60 days after the 30-day 
notice is published. 44 U.S.C. 3507 (b)-(c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); see also 
60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes that the 30-day notice 
informs the regulated community to file relevant comments and affords 
the agency adequate time to digest public comments before it renders a 
decision. 60 FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. Therefore, respondents should 
submit their respective comments to OMB within 30 days of publication 
to best ensure having their full effect. 5 CFR 1320.12(c); see also 60 
FR 44983, Aug. 29, 1995.
    The summary below describes the nature of the information 
collection requirement (ICR) and the expected burden for the ICR being 
submitted for clearance by OMB as required by the PRA.
    Title: Notice of Funding Availability and Solicitation of 
Applications for Grants under the Railroad Rehabilitation and Repair 
Grant Program.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-0580.
    Type of Request: Regular Approval of a Previously Approved 
Collection of Information under Emergency Clearance Procedures.
    Affected Public: 39 States/Local Governments.
    Abstract: On September 30, 2008, President Bush signed Public Law 
110-329, The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing 
Appropriations Act, 2009. As part of this Act, Congress provided $20 
million in disaster relief funds to FRA to award to States in one or 
more grants for eligible projects related to repair and rehabilitation 
of Class II and Class III railroad infrastructure damaged by 
hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters in counties for which 
the President declared a major disaster under title IV of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974. 
Approximately $5 million of these funds remain available for 
rehabilitation and repairs of railroad right-of-way, bridges, signals, 
and other infrastructure which are part of the general railroad system 
of transportation and primarily used by railroads to move freight 
traffic. The Secretary may retain up to one-half of one (1) percent of 
these funds for the oversight of the design and implementation of 
projects funded by grants under this Program. Funds provided under this 
grant program may constitute no more than 80 percent of the total cost 
of a selected project, with the remaining cost funded from other 
sources. The funding provided under these grants will be made available 
to

[[Page 48624]]

grantees on a reimbursement basis. FRA anticipates awarding grants to 
multiple eligible participants. FRA may choose to award a grant or 
grants within the available funds in any amount. Funding made available 
through grants provided under this program, together with funding from 
other sources that is committed by a grantee as part of a grant 
agreement, must be sufficient to complete the funded project and 
achieve the anticipated rehabilitation and repairs to Class II and 
Class IIII railroads. FRA will be publishing a second Notice of Funding 
Availability shortly and will begin accepting grant applications 10 
days after publication of this second Notice of Funding Availability in 
the Federal Register. Please see this Notice for further information.
    Form Number(s): SF-424.
    Annual Estimated Burden Hours: 4,875 hours.
    Addressee: Send comments regarding this information collection to 
the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management 
and Budget, 725 Seventeenth Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503, 
Attention: FRA Desk Officer. Comments may also be sent via e-mail to 
OMB at the following address: oira_submissions@omb.eop.gov.
    Comments are invited on the following: 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.
    A comment to OMB is best assured of having its full effect if OMB 
receives it within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register.

    Authority:  44 U.S.C. 3501-3520.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on September 16, 2009.
Donna Alwine,
Acting Director, Office of Financial Management, Federal Railroad 
Administration.
[FR Doc. E9-22940 Filed 9-22-09; 8:45 am]

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