Document ID: FRA-2017-0002-0021
Agency: fra
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals
Posted Date: 2017-07-18T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 136 (Tuesday, July 18, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32923-32924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-15053]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Railroad Administration

[Docket No. FRA-2017-0002-N-13]

Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment 
Request

AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of 
Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice and comment request.

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SUMMARY: Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), this notice 
announces that FRA is forwarding the Information Collection Request 
(ICR) abstracted below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for 
review and comment. The ICR describes the information collection and 
its expected burden.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before August 17, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Send comments regarding these information collections to the 
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and 
Budget, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503, Attention: FRA Desk 
Officer. Comments may also be sent via email to OMB at the following 
address: oira_submissions@omb.eop.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Kim Toone, Information Collection 
Clearance Officer, Office of Administration, Office of Information 
Technology, RAD-20, Federal Railroad Administration, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Mail Stop 35, Washington, DC 20590 (Telephone: (202) 493-
6132). (This telephone number is not toll free.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The PRA, 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, and 1320.10. On April 18, 2017, FRA 
published a 60-day notice in the Federal Register requesting comments 
on the ICR for which it is now seeking OMB approval. See 82 FR 18341. 
FRA received no comments in response to that notice.
    Before OMB decides whether to approve this proposed collection of 
information, it must provide 30 days for public comment. 44 U.S.C. 
3507(b); 5 CFR 1320.10. 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 1320.10; see also 60 
FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. OMB believes 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. Therefore, respondents should submit their 
comments to OMB within 30 days of publication to best ensure having 
their full effect.
    The summary below describes the ICR and its expected burden. FRA is 
submitting the new request for clearance by OMB as the PRA requires.
    Title: Information and Communications Technology Needs Assessment.
    OMB Control Number: 2130-XXXX.
    Abstract: The purpose of this information collection is to conduct 
a needs assessment that will provide information about how the 
railroading worker population uses information and communications 
technology (ICT). FRA periodically conducts such assessments of the 
social, legal, and policy barriers related to its mission. For purposes 
of this study, ICT is defined as technology and tools that people use 
to share,

[[Page 32924]]

distribute, and gather information, and to communicate with one 
another, one on one, or in groups. FRA uses ICT to disseminate research 
findings and to increase awareness of safety education programs and 
other FRA sponsored innovation projects. The data gathered in this 
study will help FRA and DOT attain the strategic goal of improving 
safety in transportation by providing information that will improve and 
inform their strategic communication dissemination efforts to reach the 
railroading population more efficiently and successfully.
    The proposed study is a needs assessment designed to understand the 
current state of railroading industry use and application of ICT. As 
such, this study asks broad questions about ICT. The main objectives of 
this study are to: (1) Determine how Transportation, Yard and Engineer 
railroaders use ICT; (2) identify ways to reach this population with 
future ICT-based education and communication efforts; and (3) develop 
baseline awareness data for FRA's research, development and technology 
programs.
    Affected Public: Railroad Union Members.
    Form(s): FRA Form 6180.169.
    Total Estimated Annual Responses: 1,553.
    Total Estimated Annual Burden: 511 hours.
    Comments are invited on the following: Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for FRA to properly perform its 
functions, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; the accuracy of FRA's estimates of the burden of the proposed 
information collections; ways to enhance the quality, utility, and 
clarity of the information to be collected; and ways to minimize the 
burden of the collections 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.

Sarah L. Inderbitzin,
Acting Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2017-15053 Filed 7-17-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-06-P