Federal Register/Vol. 65, No. 132
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Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 132 / Monday, July 10, 2000 / Rules and Regulations 42529 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION other passengers in ``light rail'' vehicles. the comment period on this statement This development holds great promise (64 FR 58124). Then, based on a request Federal Railroad Administration for enhancing transportation from the major organization alternatives in metropolitan and representing rail commuter and transit 49 CFR Parts 209 and 211 suburban areas. However, this shared operations, we extended the comment [FRA Docket No. FRA±1999±5685, Notice use of conventional rail lines, which are deadline again, to February 14, 2000. No. 7] within FRA's broad safety jurisdiction, We think this public process gave all also poses some significant safety concerned ample opportunity to RIN 2130±AB33 issues. FTA provides a substantial share develop and convey their views, and we of the funding for many of these have spent a great deal of time Statement of Agency Policy passenger operations, some of which reviewing the many comments we Concerning Jurisdiction Over the straddle the jurisdictional line between received. Safety of Railroad Passenger FRA's and FTA's statutory safety I. Discussion of Comments Operations and Waivers Related to authority. Therefore, FRA and FTA have Shared Use of the Tracks of the decided to explain jointly, in a notice FRA received nearly 50 responses General Railroad System by Light Rail published elsewhere in today's Federal concerning its proposed statement of and Conventional Equipment Register, how they will work to ensure agency policy, including comments AGENCY: Federal Railroad that they exercise jurisdiction in a from: state and local governments and Administration (FRA), Department of complementary way over these shared transportation authorities; transit Transportation (DOT). use operations. In this notice, FRA agencies; transportation planners and explains in greater detail the extent of consultants; citizen groups; a railroad ACTION: Final rule and policy statement. its safety jurisdiction and how it will labor union; the association SUMMARY: FRA and the Federal Transit exercise that authority in the shared use representing the interests of Administration (FTA) have jointly context. FRA also explains how those conventional railroads; and the developed a policy concerning safety light rail operations that may desire association representing the interests of issues related to light rail transit waivers of certain of FRA's rules may go the rail transit industry. Discussions operations that share use of the general about seeking such waivers. follow with respect to the primary railroad system track with conventional This notice does not amend any of issues raised by the commenters. In trains. That policy, published elsewhere FRA's substantive safety rules or impose light of the comments received, FRA has in today's Federal Register, describes any regulatory burdens not already reconsidered some aspects of its how the two agencies will coordinate imposed by those rules. Those rules proposed policy and has elected to use of their respective safety authorities cover a wide range of safety issues such adopt certain portions of the policy over shared track operations. FRA is as equipment, track, signals, grade without substantive change from what FRA proposed. issuing its own separate policy crossings, and operating practices. By The commenters addressed many of statement to describe the extent of its their own terms, they already apply to at least those rail operations, like those the important topics discussed in FRA's statutory jurisdiction over railroad proposal, including the extent and passenger operations (which covers all addressed here, that occur on lines where conventional trains operate. exercise of FRA's jurisdiction, shared railroads except urban rapid transit use of the general railroad system of operations not connected to the general Nothing in this statement expands the applicability provisions of those rules. transportation by light rail and railroad system) and explain how it will conventional rail equipment, shared use exercise that jurisdiction. The statement The only rules that FRA is amending are its statement of policy on safety of railroad rights of way by light rail and also explains FRA's waiver process and conventional rail equipment, and the discusses factors that should be jurisdiction, found in appendix A to 49 CFR part 209, and 49 CFR part 211, to nature of the waiver process involving addressed in any petition submitted by which FRA is adding a new appendix shared-use operations. Several light rail operators and other railroads containing its statement of policy commenters applauded the agencies' seeking approval of shared use of concerning waivers related to shared efforts to clarify how FRA and FTA will general railroad system track. use of the general system. FRA believes exercise their respective authorities and DATES: This statement of policy is it is important to ensure that the provide guidance on how to use FRA's effective July 10, 2000. agency's current thinking on these waiver process in this context. Many FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: subjects can be readily located in the commenters had suggestions on how Daniel C. Smith, Assistant Chief CFR. FRA could improve its expression of its Counsel for Safety, FRA, RCC±10, 1120 Although agencies are not required to policy, and a few simply opposed FRA's Vermont Avenue, NW., Mail Stop 10, provide notice and an opportunity to exercise of its jurisdiction, whether Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 202± comment on interpretive rules and generally over light rail operations on 493±6029) or David H. Kasminoff, Trial statements of policy, FRA did so here to the general system or specifically over Attorney, FRA, RCC±12, 1120 Vermont ensure that it had the benefit of the their own operation. The major themes Avenue, NW., Mail Stop 10, views of interested parties in developing that emerged from FRA's review of the Washington, DC 20590 (telephone: 202± its policy. Because of the substantial comments are as follows: 493±6043). overlap in subject matter between FRA's • FRA's proposed definitional proposed statement of policy (published distinction between ``commuter Introduction November 1, 1999, at 64 FR 59046) and railroad'' and ``rapid transit,'' which DOT strongly encourages increased the joint FRA/FTA statement (published involves determining the primary use of railroads to serve the nation's May 25, 1999, at 64 FR 28238), we purpose of the operation and whether a passenger transportation needs. Many concluded it made sense to have the substantial portion of the operation is communities are using or planning to comment periods on both statements devoted to moving people within a use railroad lines on which run concurrently. Therefore, we city's boundaries, is viewed by some conventional freight and passenger extended the original comment period commenters as improperly based in trains operate to move commuters and on the joint statement to coincide with FRA's statutory authority or too vague. VerDate 11<MAY>2000 15:24 Jul 07, 2000 Jkt 190000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4701 Sfmt 4700 E:\FR\FM\10JYR6.SGM pfrm08 PsN: 10JYR6 42530 Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 132 / Monday, July 10, 2000 / Rules and Regulations • FRA should establish an transit system over which conventional insufficient that FRA legally does not administrative process to resolve passenger or freight trains operate. even ``have'' the jurisdiction over the jurisdictional questions, especially The NSWG notes that its suggested rapid transit system that FRA says it is those involving light rail projects still in changes to the policy statement do not choosing not to ``exercise.'' the planning stages. ``offer a different view of FRA's In response, FRA notes that its final • The ``proposed restrictions'' jurisdiction than the one FRA itself statement of agency policy concerning (apparently some commenters did not offers.'' Instead, NSWG takes issue with jurisdiction included in Appendix A to realize that FRA's rules already apply to particular aspects of how FRA has part 209 of the CFR, as amended by this these operations) on shared use of the expressed its jurisdictional reach. notice, is perfectly clear as to where same trackage by light rail and NSWG contests FRA's suggestion that FRA believes it lacks jurisdiction. conventional rail equipment are ``urban rapid transit'' is an exception to Nothing FRA has said suggests that FRA unjustified because of added or special category of ``commuter and could exercise jurisdiction it does not compliance costs and the possible other short-haul railroad passenger have. Moreover, it is correct in literal discouraging effect on the development operations'' instead of a completely terms to say that FRA does not exercise and expansion of light rail transit separate category over which FRA lacks jurisdiction where it either lacks service. Certain commenters asked FRA jurisdiction. The commenter does not jurisdiction or chooses not to exercise it, to emulate what they understand as the wish to see the final policy statement and it is sometimes useful in certain European approach and permit imply a presumption that a rail contexts to combine those two simultaneous joint use of the same operation is automatically a commuter categories to give the reader a clear trackage by light rail and freight trains. or short-haul operation under FRA's picture of what FRA believes is outside jurisdiction unless it is an exceptional • The shared-use waiver petition of both the extent and exercise of its and special type of short-haul operation. process is too burdensome to transit jurisdiction. For example, most of FRA's FRA appreciates NSWG's close reading rules contain an applicability section system operators. of 49 U.S.C. 20102, but believes that • that, among other things, excludes FRA needs to explain its regulatory reading would not produce role in cases of a light rail transit urban rapid transit systems not jurisdictional conclusions different from connected to the general system, but operation sharing a right-of-way but no those rendered under FRA's reading.