[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 39 (Wednesday, February 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13396-13397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04525]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 4)]


Notice of Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council 
Vacancy

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board (Board), Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of vacancies on the Railroad-Shipper Transportation 
Advisory Council (RSTAC) and solicitation of nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Board hereby gives notice of one vacancy on RSTAC for a 
small shipper representative. The Board is soliciting suggestions for 
candidates to fill this vacancy.

DATES: Suggestions of candidates for membership on RSTAC are due on 
March 25, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Suggestions may be submitted either via the Board's e-filing 
format or in the traditional paper format. Any person using e-filing 
should attach a document and otherwise 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: 
Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 4), 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-
0001. Please note that submissions will be available to the public at 
the Board's offices and posted on the Board's Web site under Docket No. 
EP 526 (Sub-No. 4).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gabriel Meyer at 202-245-0150. 
Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 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).
    RSTAC was established upon the enactment of the ICC Termination Act 
of 1995 (ICCTA), on December 29, 1995, to advise the Board's Chairman, 
the Secretary of Transportation, the

[[Page 13397]]

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives with respect to rail transportation policy issues RSTAC 
considers significant. RSTAC focuses on issues of importance to small 
shippers and small railroads, including car supply, rates, competition, 
and procedures for addressing claims. ICCTA directs RSTAC to develop 
private-sector mechanisms to prevent, or identify and address, 
obstacles to the most effective and efficient transportation system 
practicable. The Secretary of Transportation and the members of the 
Board cooperate with RSTAC in providing research, technical, and other 
reasonable support. RSTAC also prepares an annual report concerning its 
activities and recommendations on whatever regulatory or legislative 
relief it considers appropriate. RSTAC is not subject to the Federal 
Advisory Committee Act.
    RSTAC consists of 19 members. Of this number, 15 members are 
appointed by the Chairman of the Board, and the remaining 4 members are 
comprised of the Secretary of Transportation and the Members of the 
Board, who serve as ex officio, nonvoting members. Of the 15 members to 
be appointed, 9 members are voting members and are appointed from 
senior executive officers of organizations engaged in the railroad and 
rail shipping industries. At least 4 of the voting members must be 
representatives of small shippers as determined by the Chairman, and at 
least 4 of the voting members must be representatives of Class II or 
III railroads. The remaining 6 members to be appointed--3 representing 
Class I railroads and 3 representing large shipper organizations--serve 
in a nonvoting, advisory capacity, but are entitled to participate in 
RSTAC deliberations.
    RSTAC is required by statute to meet at least semi-annually. In 
recent years, RSTAC has chosen to meet 4 times a year, with the first 
meeting each February. Meetings are generally held at the Board's 
headquarters in Washington, DC, although some may be held in other 
locations.
    RSTAC members receive no compensation for their services and are 
required to provide for the expenses incidental to their service, 
including travel expenses, as the Board cannot provide for these 
expenses. The RSTAC Chairman, however, may request funding from the 
Department of Transportation to cover travel expenses, subject to 
certain restrictions in ICCTA. RSTAC also may solicit and use private 
funding for its activities, again subject to certain restrictions in 
ICCTA. RSTAC members currently have elected to submit annual dues to 
pay for RSTAC expenses.
    RSTAC members must be citizens of the United States and represent 
as broadly as practicable the various segments of the railroad and rail 
shipper industries. They may not be full-time employees of the United 
States. Further, RSTAC members appointed or reappointed after June 18, 
2010, are prohibited from serving as federally registered lobbyists 
during their RSTAC term.
    The members of RSTAC are appointed for a term of 3 years. A member 
may serve after the expiration of his or her term until a successor has 
taken office. No member will be eligible to serve in excess of 2 
consecutive terms.
    Due to an unanticipated resignation, one vacancy currently exists 
for a small shipper representative. Upon appointment by the Chairman, 
the small shipper representative will serve until December 31, 2014. 
Suggestions for candidates to fill this vacancy should be submitted in 
letter form, identify the name of the candidate, provide a summary of 
why the candidate is qualified to serve on RSTAC, and contain a 
representation that the candidate is willing to serve as a member of 
RSTAC effective immediately upon appointment and continuing until 
December 31, 2014. RSTAC candidate suggestions should be filed with the 
Board by March 25, 2013. Members selected to serve on RSTAC are chosen 
at the discretion of the Board's Chairman. Please note that submissions 
will be available to the public at the Board's offices and posted on 
the Board's Web site under Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 4).
    This action will not significantly affect either the quality of the 
human environment or the conservation of energy resources.

    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 726.


    Decided: February 21, 2013.

    By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Office of Proceedings.
Raina White,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2013-04525 Filed 2-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P