(a) The purpose of the national railroad safety program is to promote safety in all areas of railroad operations in order to reduce deaths, injuries and damage to property resulting from railroad accidents.

(b)(1) The national railroad safety program is carried out in part through the issuance of mandatory Federal safety requirements and through inspection efforts designed to monitor compliance with those requirements. FRA and State inspections determine the extent to which the railroads, shippers, and manufacturers have fulfilled their obligations with respect to inspection, maintenance, training, and supervision. The FRA and participating States do not conduct inspections of track, equipment, signal systems, operating practices, and hazardous materials handling for the railroads, shippers, and manufacturers.

(2) The national railroad safety program is also carried out through routine inspections, accident investigations, formal and informal educational efforts, complaint investigations, safety assessments, special inquiries, regulatory development, research and similar initiatives.

(c) It is the policy of the FRA to maintain direct oversight of railroad, shipper, and manufacturer conditions and practices relevant to safety by conducting inspections and investigations in concert with participating State agencies.

(d) The principal role of the State Safety Participation Program in the national railroad safety effort is to provide an enhanced investigative and surveillance capability through assumption, by participating State agencies, of responsibility for planned routine compliance inspections. The FRA encourages further State contributions to the national railroad safety program consistent with overall program needs, individual State capabilities, and the willingness of the States to undertake additional investigative and surveillance activities.

(e) It is the policy of the FRA to promote the growth and vitality of the State Safety Participation Program through liaison with State government, coordination of Federal and State investigative and surveillance activities, and training of inspection personnel.

(a) Subject to the requirements of this part, a State agency with jurisdiction under State law may participate in investigative and surveillance activities concerning Federal railroad safety laws and regulations by entering into an agreement under § 212.105 for the exercise of specified authority.

(b) Subject to requirements of this part, a State agency with jurisdiction under State law may participate in investigative and surveillance activities with respect to particular rules, regulations, orders or standards issued under the regulatory authority of the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 by filing an annual certification under § 212.107.

(a) Scope. The principal method by which States may participate in investigative and surveillance activities is by agreement with FRA. An agreement may delegate investigative and surveillance authority with respect to all or any part of the Federal railroad safety laws.

(b) Duration. An agreement may be for a fixed term or for an indefinite duration.

(c) Amendments. An agreement may be amended to expand or contract its scope by consent of FRA and the State.

(d) Common terms. Each agreement entered into under this section provides that:

(1) The State agency is delegated certain specified authority with respect to investigative and surveillance activities;

(2) The delegation is effective only to the extent it is carried out through personnel recognized by the State and the FRA (pursuant to subpart C of this part) to be qualified to perform the particular investigative and surveillance activities to which the personnel are assigned; and

(3) The State agency agrees to provide the capability necessary to assure coverage of facilities, equipment, and operating practices through planned routine compliance inspections for all, or a specified part of, the territory of the State.

(e) Request for agreement. A request for agreement shall contain the following information:

(1) An opinion of the counsel for the State agency stating that:

(i) The agency has jurisdiction over the safety practices of the facilities, equipment, rolling stock, and operations of railroads in that State and whether the agency has jurisdiction over shippers and manufacturers;

(ii) The agency has the authority and capability to conduct investigative and surveillance activities in connection with the rules, regulations, orders, and standards issued by the Administrator under the Federal railroad safety laws; and

(iii) State funds may be used for this purpose.

(2) A statement that the State agency has been furnished a copy of each Federal safety statute, rule, regulation, order, or standard pertinent to the State's participation;

(3) The names of the railroads operating in the State together with the number of miles of main and branch lines operated by each railroad in the State;

(4) The name, title and telephone number of the person designated by the agency to coordinate the program; and

(5) A description of the organization, programs, and functions of the agency with respect to railroad safety.

(f) Developmental agreement. Consistent with national program requirements, the Associate Administrator may enter into an agreement under this section prior to the qualification of inspection personnel of the State under subpart C of this part. In such a case, the agreement shall (1) specify the date at which the State will assume investigative and surveillance duties, and (2) refer to any undertaking by the FRA to provide training for State inspection personnel, including a schedule for the training courses that will be made available.

(g) Action on request. The Associate Administrator responds to a request for agreement by entering into an agreement based on the request, by declining the request, or by suggesting modifications.

(a) Scope. In the event the FRA and the State agency do not agree on terms for the participation of the State under § 212.105 of this part and the State wishes to engage in investigative and surveillance activities with respect to any rule, regulation, order, or standard issued under the authority of the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970, the State shall file an annual certification with respect to such activities.

(b) Content. The annual certification shall be filed not less than 60 days before the beginning of the Federal fiscal year to which it applies, shall contain the information required by § 212.105(e) of this part and, in addition, shall certify that:

(1) The State agency has the authority and capability to conduct investigative and surveillance activities under the requirements of this part with respect to each rule, regulation, order or standard for which certification is submitted; and

(2) The State agency will, at a minimum, conduct planned compliance inspections meeting the level of effort prescribed in the applicable appendix to this part.

(c) Action on certification. The Associate Administrator responds to the filing of an annual certification within 60 days of its receipt by accepting it or by rejecting it for cause stated.

(d) Delegation of authority. Acceptance of an annual certification constitutes a delegation of authority to conduct investigative and surveillance activities only to the extent that the delegation is carried out through personnel recognized by the State and the FRA (pursuant to subpart C of this part) to be qualified to perform the particular investigative and surveillance activities to which the personnel are assigned.

Prior to the beginning of each calendar year, each participating State applying for grant assistance under subpart D of this part shall develop, in conjunction with the FRA Regional Director of the region in which the State is located, an annual work plan for the conduct of investigative and surveillance activities by the State agency. The plan shall include a program of inspections designed to monitor the compliance of the railroads, shippers, and manufacturers operating within the State (or portion thereof) with applicable Federal railroad safety laws and regulations. In the event the participating State and the FRA Regional Director cannot agree on an annual work plan, the Associate Administrator for Safety shall review the matter.

(a) It is the policy of the FRA to monitor State investigative and surveillance practices at the program level.

(b) It is the policy of the FRA to coordinate its direct inspection and investigative functions in participating States with the responsible State agency, providing prior advice to the States whenever practicable.

(c) The FRA may conduct such monitoring of State investigative and surveillance practices and such other inspection and investigation as may be necessary to aid in the enforcement of the Federal railroad safety laws.

(a) A State agency participating in investigative and surveillance activities by agreement or certification shall provide thirty (30) days notice of its intent to terminate its participation.

(b) The Administrator may, on his own initiative, terminate the participation of a State agency if, after at least thirty (30) days notice an opportunity for oral hearing under section 553 of title 5 U.S.C., the State agency does not establish that it has complied and is complying with:

(1) The requirements of this part;

(2) Relevant directives, enforcement manuals, and written interpretations of law and regulations provided by the FRA for guidance of the program; and

(3) The rule of national uniformity of laws, rules, regulations, orders, and standards relating to railroad safety as expressed in section 205 of the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970 (45 U.S.C. 434).

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the FRA reserves exclusive authority to assess and compromise penalties, to issue emergency orders and compliance orders, institute or cause to be instituted actions for collection of civil penalties or for injunctive relief, and to commence any and all other enforcement actions under the Federal railroad safety laws.

(b)(1) Section 207(a) of the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970, as amended (45 U.S.C. 436(a)), authorizes a participating State to bring an action for assessment and collection of a civil penalty in a Federal district court of proper venue, if the FRA has not acted on a request for civil penalty assessment originated by the State, within sixty (60) days of receipt, by assessing the penalty or by determining in writing that no violation occurred.

(2) Section 207(b) of the Federal Railroad Safety Act of 1970, as amended (45 U.S.C. 436(b)), authorizes a participating State to bring an action for injunctive relief in a Federal district court of proper venue, if the FRA has not acted on a request to initiate such an action within fifteen (15) days of receipt, by referring the matter to the Attorney General for litigation, by undertaking other enforcement action, or by determining in writing that no violation has occurred.

(3) For purposes of this paragraph, a request for legal action is deemed to be received when a legally sufficient investigative report specifying the action requested is received by the designated FRA offices.

(c)(1) Requests for civil penalty assessments and other administrative actions shall be submitted to the FRA Regional Director for Railroad Safety for the FRA region in which the State is located.

(2) Requests for the institution of injunctive actions shall be submitted simultaneously to—

(i) The FRA Regional Director for Railroad Safety for the FRA region in which the State is located and

(ii) The Enforcement Division, Office of Chief Counsel, FRA, Washington, DC 20590.