Information Collection Activities

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration

[Notice No. 96-19]

Information Collection Activities

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, RSPA

invites comments on certain information collections pertaining to

hazardous materials safety for which RSPA intends to request approval

from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

This notice also announces OMB approval of Information Collection

Requests (ICRs), published in the Federal Register on March 5, 1996 [

61 FR 8706] with a 60-day comment period and forwarded to OMB in a

Federal Register dated May 30, 1996 [61 FR 27126] for review and

approval.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before

December 2, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Please address written comments to Dockets Unit (DHM-30),

Room 8421, Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S.

Department of Transportation, Washington, DC 20590-0001. Comments may

also be faxed to (202) 366-3753. Comments should identify this Notice

number (96-19) and the appropriate Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) Control Number(s). Persons wishing to receive confirmation of

receipt of their comments should include a self-addressed stamped

postcard showing the notice number. Public information may be reviewed

between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday,

except holidays.

Requests for a copy of an information collection should be directed

to Deborah Boothe, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards (DHM-10),

Research and Special Programs Administration, Room 8102, 400 Seventh

Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590-0001, Telephone (202) 366-8553.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Boothe, Office of Hazardous

Materials Standards (DHM-10), Research and Special Programs

Administration, Room 8102, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC

20590-0001, Telephone (202) 366-8553.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 1320.8(d), Title 5, Code of Federal

Regulations requires that RSPA provide interested members of the public

and affected agencies an opportunity to comment on information

collection and recordkeeping requests. This notice identifies

information collections that RSPA is submitting to OMB for extension.

These collections are contained in the Hazardous Materials Regulations

(HMR; 49 CFR 171-180). RSPA has revised burden estimates, where

appropriate, to reflect current reporting levels or adjustments based

on changes in proposed or final rules published since the information

collections were last approved. The following information is provided

for each information collection: (1) Title of the information

collection, including former title if a change is being made; (2) OMB

control number, (3) summary of the information collection activity, (4)

description of affected public, (5) estimate of total annual reporting

and recordkeeping burden; and (6) frequency of collection. RSPA will

request a three-year term of approval for each information collection

activity and, when approved by OMB, publish notice of the approval in

the Federal Register.

I. RSPA Requests Comments on the Following ICRs

Title: Crashworthiness Protection Requirements for Tank Cars

[Former title: Rail Carrier and Tank Car Tank Requirements].

OMB Control Number: 2137-0559.

Summary: This information collection consolidates provisions for

detection and repair of cracks, pits, corrosion, lining flaws, thermal

protection flaws and other defects of tank car tanks under various

provisions in parts 173, 179 and 180 of the HMR. The HMR require

facilities that build, repair and ensure the structural integrity of

tank cars to develop and implement a quality assurance program; allow

the use of non-destructive testing techniques, in lieu of currently

prescribed periodic hydrostatic pressure tests, for fusion welded tank

cars; require thickness measurements of tank cars; allow the continued

use of tank cars, with limited reduced shell thicknesses, for certain

hazardous materials; increase the frequency for inspection and testing

of tank cars; and other provisions to ensure crashworthiness protection

for tank cars.

Affected Public: Manufacturers, owners and rail carriers of tank

cars.

Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping:

Number of Respondents: 1,091.

Total Annual Responses: 3,674.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 2,659.

Frequency of collection: Annually.

Title: Requirements for Cargo Tanks.

OMB Control Number: 2137-0014.

Summary: This information collection consolidates provisions for

manufacture, qualification, maintenance and use of all specification

cargo tank motor vehicles. This information collection clarifies

certain commodity sections in part 173, reorganizes the cargo tank

specifications in part 178 and provides for vacuum-loaded cargo tanks.

It includes part 180 requirements governing the maintenance, use,

inspection, repair, retest and requalification of cargo tanks used to

transport hazardous materials and certain registration requirements in

part 107 for persons who are engaged in manufacture, repair or

certification of any DOT specification cargo tank or any cargo tank

manufactured under exemption to transport hazardous materials.

Affected Public: Manufacturers and owners of cargo tanks.

Annual Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:

Number of Respondents: 41,366.

Total Annual Responses: 132,000.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 106,262.

Frequency of collection: Periodically.

Title: Rulemaking Procedures and Exemption Requirements [Former

title: Rulemaking and Exemption Requirements

Summary: Rulemaking procedures enable RSPA to determine if a rule

change is necessary; be consistent with public interest; and maintain a

level of safety equal to or superior to that of current regulations.

Exemption procedures provide the information required for analytical

purposes for approval or denial of requests for exemptions.

Affected Public: Shippers, carriers, packaging manufacturers, and

other affected entities.

Total Reporting and Recordkeeping Burden:

Number of Respondents: 3,305.

Total Annual Responses: 4,295.

Total Annual Burden Hours: 4,279.

Frequency of Collection: Periodically.

II. ICRs Approved by OMB

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, OMB has

approved the following ICRs:

Title: Inspection and Testing of Portable Tanks and Intermediate

Bulk Containers.

[[Page 51316]]

OMB Control Number: 2137-0018.

Title: Testing, Inspection, and Marking Requirements for Cylinders.

OMB Control Number: 2137-0557.

Title: Hazardous Materials Incident Reports.

OMB Control Number: 2137-0039.

Title: Flammable Cryogenic Liquids.

OMB Control Number: 2137-0542.

Title: Approvals for Hazardous Materials.

OMB Control No: 2137-0557.

Title: Testing Requirements for Packaging.

OMB Control Number: 2137-0572.

Title: Container Certification.

OMB Control Number: 2137-0582.

Title: Hazardous Materials Public Section Planning and Training

Grants.

OMB Control Number: 2137-0586.

Title: Response Plans for Shipments of Oil.

OMB Control Number: 2137-0591.

Issued in Washington, DC on September 20, 1996.

Edward T. Mazzullo,

Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards.

[FR Doc. 96-24713 Filed 9-30-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-60-P