Document ID: FRA-2015-0132-0003
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Petitions for Waivers of Compliance,
Posted Date: 2015-12-24T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 247 (Thursday, December 24, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80451-80452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32455]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket Number FRA-2015-0132]

Petition for Waiver of Compliance

    In accordance with part 211 of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR), this document provides the public notice that by a document 
dated September 22, 2015, the Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter 
Railroad Corporation (Metra) has petitioned the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) for a waiver of compliance from certain provisions 
of the Federal railroad safety regulations contained at 49 CFR part 
238, Passenger Equipment Safety Standards. FRA assigned the petition 
docket number FRA-2015-0132.
    Metra seeks a 6-month waiver of compliance from the requirements of 
49 CFR 238.115(b)(1)-(2) regarding passenger car emergency lighting 
(until June 30, 2016). Metra is seeking this temporary relief because 
70 percent of its passenger rolling stock fleet of 544 coaches, which 
were ordered prior to September 8, 2000, and placed into service prior 
to September 9, 2002, will not meet the emergency lighting requirement 
deadline of December 31, 2015. Metra justifies the need for this 
deadline extension because of ongoing funding and technical 
difficulties. The extra time sought in this petition will allow Metra 
to retrofit 70 percent of its passenger rolling stock fleet to meet the 
requirements.
    A copy of the petition, as well as any written communications 
concerning the petition, is available for review online at 
www.regulations.gov and in person at the Department of Transportation's 
(DOT) Docket Operations Facility, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140,

[[Page 80452]]

Washington, DC 20590. The Docket Operations Facility is open from 9 
a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
    Interested parties are invited to participate in these proceedings 
by submitting written views, data, or comments. FRA does not anticipate 
scheduling a public hearing in connection with these proceedings since 
the facts do not appear to warrant a hearing. If any interested party 
desires an opportunity for oral comment, they should notify FRA, in 
writing, before the end of the comment period and specify the basis for 
their request.
    All communications concerning these proceedings should identify the 
appropriate docket number and may be submitted by any of the following 
methods:
     Web site: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Operations Facility, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., W12-140, Washington, DC 
20590.
     Hand Delivery: 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal Holidays.
    Communications received by February 8, 2016 will be considered by 
FRA before final action is taken. Comments received after that date 
will be considered as far as practicable.
    Anyone is able to search the electronic form of any written 
communications and comments received into any of our dockets by the 
name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the document, 
if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). 
In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its processes. DOT posts these comments, 
without edit, including any personal information the commenter 
provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records 
notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at www.dot.gov/privacy. 
See also http://www.regulations.gov/#!privacyNotice for the privacy 
notice of regulations.gov.

    Issued in Washington, DC.
Robert C. Lauby,
Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety, Chief Safety Officer.
[FR Doc. 2015-32455 Filed 12-23-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P