[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 50 (Thursday, March 15, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Page 12260]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4769]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Ex Parte No. 670]


Establishment of the Rail Energy Transportation Advisory 
Committee

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board seeks public comment on the 
desirability of establishing, pursuant to the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (FACA), a Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee, 
to provide independent advice and policy suggestions to the Board on 
issues related to the reliability of rail transportation of resources 
critical to the nation's energy supply, including, but not necessarily 
limited to, the rail transportation of coal and ethanol. Specifically, 
the Board seeks the views of interested persons on the utility of 
establishing such a committee, and, if established, the appropriate 
scope and the optimum size and composition of such a committee so as to 
reflect an appropriate and balanced cross-section of interested and 
affected stakeholders.

DATES: Comments are due by April 16, 2007.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted either via the Board's e-filing 
format or in the traditional paper format. Any person using e-filing 
should comply with the instructions at the E-FILING link on the Board's 
Web site, at http://www.stb.dot.gov. Any person submitting a filing in 
the traditional paper format should send an original and 10 copies to: 
Surface Transportation Board, Attn: STB Ex Parte No. 670, 395 E Street, 
SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001.
    Copies of written comments will be available from the Board's 
contractor, ASAP Document Solutions (mailing address: Suite 103, 9332 
Annapolis Rd., Lanham, MD 20706; e-mail address: [email protected]; 
telephone number: 202-306-4004). The comments will also be available 
for viewing and self-copying in the Board's Public Docket Room, Room 
131, and will be posted to the Board's Web site at http://www.stb.dot.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Scott M. Zimmerman at 202-245-0202. 
[Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Surface Transportation Board (STB or 
Board) is seeking public comment on issues relating to the potential 
establishment of a federal advisory committee to provide independent 
advice and policy recommendations to the Board on issues pertaining to 
the reliability of rail transportation of energy resources, 
particularly, but not necessarily limited to, the rail transportation 
of coal and ethanol.
    The Board, created by Congress in 1996 to take over many of the 
functions previously performed by the Interstate Commerce Commission, 
exercises broad authority over transportation by rail carriers, 
including regulation of railroad rates and service (49 U.S.C. 10701-
10747, 11101-11124), as well as the construction, acquisition, 
operation, and abandonment of rail lines (49 U.S.C. 10901-10907) and 
railroad line sales, consolidations, mergers, and common control 
arrangements (49 U.S.C. 10902, 11323-11327).
    The Board views the reliability of the nation's energy supply as 
crucial to this nation's economic and national security, and the 
transportation by rail of coal and other energy resources as a vital 
link in the energy supply chain. Particularly in the present 
environment of constrained rail capacity, the Board believes that an 
advisory committee consisting of a balanced cross-section of energy and 
rail industry stakeholders could serve as an important resource for 
providing independent, candid policy advice to the Board and for 
fostering open, effective communication among the affected interests on 
issues such as rail performance, capacity constraints, infrastructure 
planning and development, and effective coordination among suppliers, 
carriers, and users of energy resources.
    The Board seeks input from interested persons on a number of 
issues, including: (1) What are the views of rail and energy industry 
stakeholders as to the potential utility of such a committee? (2) What 
would be the appropriate scope of such a committee's mandate--i.e., 
should it be limited to issues involving transportation of coal and 
ethanol, or constituted more broadly to include, for example, the 
biofuel industry and/or others? How would the scope of the committee's 
mandate affect its utility? (3) Consistent with one's views on the 
answers to the previous questions, what would be the optimum size of 
such a committee, and how should the committee's membership be 
allocated among various stakeholder groups to achieve a fairly balanced 
``cross section of those directly affected, interested, and 
qualified,'' as required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA)?\1\
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    \1\ See 41 CFR 102-3.60(b)(3).
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    The Board is not, by this notice, establishing such a committee. 
Rather, it seeks from interested persons input that would assist the 
Board at this preliminary stage in developing a proposed charter for 
such an advisory committee, in consultation with the General Services 
Administration's Committee Management Secretariat, as provided under 
FACA.\2\
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    \2\ See 41 CFR 102-3.60(a).
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    This action will not significantly affect either the quality of the 
human environment or the conservation of energy resources.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 721, 49 U.S.C. 11101; 49 U.S.C. 11121.

    Decided: March 9, 2007.

    By the Board, Chairman Nottingham, Vice Chairman Buttrey, and 
Commissioner Mulvey.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-4769 Filed 3-14-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P