(a) Filing.

(1) Each passenger rail operation to which this part applies shall submit one copy of its SSP plan to the FRA Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety Officer, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, no later than March 4, 2021, or not less than 90 days before commencing passenger operations, whichever is later.

(2) The passenger rail operation shall not include in its SSP plan the risk-based hazard analysis conducted pursuant to §270.103(q). A passenger rail operation shall make the results of any risk-based hazard analysis available upon request to representatives of FRA and States participating under part 212 of this chapter.

(3) The SSP plan shall include:

(i) The signature, name, title, address, and telephone number of the chief safety officer who bears primary managerial authority for implementing the program for the submitting passenger rail operation. By signing, this chief official is certifying that the contents of the SSP plan are accurate and that the passenger rail operation will implement the contents of the program as approved by FRA;

(ii) The contact information for the primary person responsible for managing the system safety program; and

(iii) The contact information for the senior representatives of any host railroad, contractor operator, shared track/corridor operator, or persons utilizing or providing significant safety-related services.

(4) As required by §270.107(b), each passenger rail operation must submit with its SSP plan a consultation statement describing how it consulted with its directly affected employees on the contents of its SSP plan. Directly affected employees may also file a statement in accordance with §270.107(c).

(b) Approval.

(1) Within 90 days of receipt of an SSP plan, FRA will review the SSP plan to determine if the elements prescribed in this part are sufficiently addressed. This review will also consider any statement submitted by directly affected employees pursuant to §270.107(c).

(2) FRA will notify each person identified in the SSP plan under §270.201(a)(3) in writing whether the proposed plan has been approved by FRA, and, if not approved, the specific points in which the SSP plan is deficient. FRA will also provide this notification to each individual identified in the service list accompanying the consultation statement required under §270.107(b).

(3) If FRA does not approve an SSP plan, the affected passenger rail operation shall amend the proposed plan to correct all deficiencies identified by FRA and provide FRA with a corrected copy of the SSP plan not later than 90 days following receipt of FRA's written notice that the proposed SSP plan was not approved.

(4) Approval of an SSP plan under this part does not constitute approval of the specific actions a passenger rail operation will implement under an SSP plan pursuant to §270.103(q)(2) and shall not be construed as establishing a Federal standard regarding those specific actions.

(c) Review of amendments.

(1)

(i) A passenger rail operation shall submit any amendment(s) to the SSP plan to FRA not less than 60 days before the proposed effective date of the amendment(s). The passenger rail operation shall file the amended SSP plan with a cover letter outlining the changes made to the original approved SSP plan by the proposed amendment(s). The cover letter shall also describe the process the passenger rail operation used pursuant to §270.107(d) to consult with its directly affected employees on the amendment(s).

(ii) If an amendment is safety-critical and the passenger rail operation is unable to submit the amended SSP plan to FRA 60 days before the proposed effective date of the amendment, the passenger rail operation shall submit the amended SSP plan with a cover letter outlining the changes made to the original approved SSP plan by the proposed amendment(s) and why the amendment is safety-critical to FRA as near as possible to 60 days before the proposed effective date of the amendment(s).

(iii) If the proposed amendment is limited to adding or changing a name, title, address, or telephone number of a person, FRA approval is not required under the process in paragraphs (c)(1)(i) and (ii) of this section, although the passenger rail operation shall still file the proposed amendment with FRA's Associate Administrator for Railroad Safety and Chief Safety Officer. These proposed amendments may be implemented upon filing with FRA. All other proposed amendments must comply with the formal approval process in paragraph (c) of this section.

(2)

(i) Except as provided in paragraph (c)(1)(iii) of this section, FRA will review the proposed amended SSP plan within 45 days of receipt. FRA will then notify the primary contact person of each affected passenger rail operation whether the proposed amended plan has been approved by FRA, and if not approved, the specific points in which each proposed amendment to the SSP plan is deficient.

(ii) If FRA has not notified the passenger rail operation by the proposed effective date of the amendment(s) whether the proposed amended plan has been approved or not, the passenger rail operation may implement the amendment(s) pending FRA's decision.

(iii) If a proposed SSP plan amendment is not approved by FRA, no later than 60 days following the receipt of FRA's written notice, the passenger rail operation shall provide FRA either a corrected copy of the amendment that addresses all deficiencies noted by FRA or written notice that the passenger rail operation is retracting the amendment.

(d) Reopened review. Following initial approval of a plan, or amendment, FRA may reopen consideration of the plan or amendment for cause stated.

(e) Electronic submission. All documents required to be submitted to FRA under this part may be submitted electronically. Appendix C to this part provides instructions on electronic submission of documents.

[85 FR 12848, Mar. 4, 2020]