Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request

<NOTICE> DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION <SUBAGY>Federal Railroad Administration</SUBAGY> <DEPDOC>[Docket No. FRA-2025-0006]</DEPDOC> <SUBJECT>Proposed Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request</SUBJECT> <HD SOURCE="HED">AGENCY:</HD> Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Department of Transportation (DOT). <HD SOURCE="HED">ACTION:</HD> Notice of information collection; request for comment. <SUM> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUMMARY:</HD> Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) and its implementing regulations, this notice announces that FRA is forwarding the Information Collection Request (ICR) summarized below to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the information collection and its expected burden. On June 20, 2025, FRA published a notice providing a 60-day period for public comment on the ICR. FRA received no comments in response to the notice. </SUM> <DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">DATES:</HD> Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before September 22, 2025. </DATES> <HD SOURCE="HED">ADDRESSES:</HD> Written comments and recommendations for the proposed ICR should be sent within 30 days of publication of this notice to <E T="03">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.</E> Find the particular ICR by selecting “Currently under Review—Open for Public Comments” or by using the search function. <FURINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:</HD> Ms. Arlette Mussington, Information Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <E T="03">arlette.mussington@dot.gov</E> or telephone: (571) 609-1285 or Ms. Joanne Swafford, Information Collection Clearance Officer, at email: <E T="03">joanne.swafford@dot.gov</E> or telephone: (757) 897-9908. </FURINF> <SUPLINF> <HD SOURCE="HED">SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:</HD> 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. <E T="03">See</E> 44 U.S.C. 3506, 3507; 5 CFR 1320.8 through 1320.12. On June 20, 2025, FRA published a 60-day notice in the <E T="04">Federal Register</E> soliciting public comment on the ICR for which it is now seeking OMB approval. <E T="03">See</E> 90 FR 26408. FRA has received no comments related to the proposed collection of information. Before OMB decides whether to approve this proposed collection of information, it must provide 30 days' notice for public comment. 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) and (c); 5 CFR 1320.12(d); <E T="03">see also</E> 60 FR 44978, 44983, Aug. 29, 1995. The 30-day notice informs the regulated community of their opportunity to file relevant comments and affords the agency adequate time to consider 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. Comments are invited on the following ICR regarding: (1) whether the information collection activities are necessary for FRA to properly execute its functions, including whether the information will have practical utility; (2) 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; (3) ways for FRA to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information being collected; and (4) ways to minimize the burden of information collection activities on the public, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology. The summary below describes the ICR that FRA will submit for OMB clearance as the PRA requires: <E T="03">Title:</E> Inquiry into Blocked Highway-Rail Grade Crossings Throughout the United States. <E T="03">OMB Control Number:</E> 2130-0630. <E T="03">Abstract:</E> In 2020, FRA created a dedicated website allowing the public and law enforcement personnel to use web-based forms to voluntarily submit information about blocked highway-rail grade crossings to FRA. <SU>1</SU> <FTREF/> Under the currently approved ICR, users provide information regarding the location, date, time, duration, and immediate impacts of highway-rail grade crossings blocked by slow-moving or stationary trains. FRA uses the data collected to gain a more complete picture of where, when, and for how long blocked crossings occur, and what impacts result from those incidents. <SU>2</SU> <FTREF/> In addition, FRA uses the information to respond to inquiries from members of Congress and their constituents. FRA also uses the information gathered to facilitate meetings, outreach, and other solutions for stakeholders to reduce or eliminate blocked crossing concerns. <FTNT> <SU>1</SU>  Access to the web-based form used by the public is unrestricted. </FTNT> <FTNT> <SU>2</SU>  The data collection is not designed to provide a representative sample or create generalizable statistics. In addition, the data gathered from this collection is not suitable for use in budgetary requests or regulatory proposals. </FTNT> Upon accessing these web-based forms, users are notified there are no Federal laws or regulations that specifically address the length of time a train may occupy a highway-rail grade crossing. Users are also notified that information submitted will not be forwarded to a railroad, State, or local agency, and will only be used for data collection purposes to determine the locations, times, and impacts of blocked crossings. On November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA), Public Law 117-58, was enacted. In addition to mandating that FRA establish an online portal and corresponding database to receive information regarding blocked highway-rail grade crossings, as enacted, section 22404 of the IIJA “encourages each complainant to report the blocked crossing to the relevant railroad.” Subsequently, FRA modified the existing web-based forms by adding one question, “have you contacted the railroad?” Otherwise, the rest of the questions on the web-based forms remained the same. <SU>3</SU> <FTREF/> <FTNT> <SU>3</SU>  The average time per response will remain the same at 3 minutes per response because the modification made pursuant to the IIJA is <E T="03">de minimis.</E> </FTNT> FRA takes the problem of blocked crossings very seriously, due to their potential impact on safety and on citizens' quality of life. There are potential safety concerns with crossings that are blocked by trains. For instance, pedestrians may crawl under or through stationary trains. Also, emergency response vehicles and first responders may be delayed when responding to an incident or transporting persons to a hospital. In addition, drivers may take more risks, such as driving around lowered gates at a crossing or attempting to beat a train through a crossing without gates, to avoid a lengthy delay if they are aware that trains routinely block a crossing for extended periods of time. There are also potential economic impacts that affect businesses, such as stores or restaurants not being accessible to their customer base for an extended amount of time. Finally, highway-rail grade crossings that are blocked for extended time periods may create societal nuisances, such as roadway congestion, delayed mail service and deliveries, disrupted school and work arrival and dismissal, or missed appointments. <E T="03">Type of Request:</E> Extension with change of a previously approved collection. <E T="03">Affected Public:</E> General public. <E T="03">Form(s):</E> FRA F 6180.175. <E T="03">Respondent Universe:</E> General public. <E T="03">Frequency of Submission:</E> On occasion. <E T="03">Total Estimated Annual Responses:</E> 26,723. <E T="03">Total Estimated Annual Burden:</E> 1,576. <E T="03">Total Estimated Annual Burden Hour Dollar Cost Equivalent:</E> $89,948.37. 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 that does not display a currently valid OMB control number. <E T="03">Authority:</E> 44 U.S.C. 3501-3520. <SIG> Issued in Washington, DC. <NAME>Christopher S. Van Nostrand,</NAME> Deputy Chief Counsel. </SIG> </SUPLINF> <FRDOC>[FR Doc. 2025-16160 Filed 8-21-25; 8:45 am]</FRDOC> </NOTICE>