[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 158 (Thursday, August 15, 2013)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 49721]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-19828]



[[Page 49721]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

49 CFR Chapter X

[Docket No. EP 711]


Petition for Rulemaking To Adopt Revised Competitive Switching 
Rules

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of public hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board (the Board) will hold a 
public hearing to explore further the issues surrounding the petition 
by The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) and the related 
comments filed in this proceeding.

DATES: The hearing will be held on October 22, 2013, beginning at 9:30 
a.m., in the Hearing Room at the Board's headquarters located at 395 E 
Street SW., Washington, DC. The hearing will be open for public 
observation. Any person wishing to speak at the hearing shall file with 
the Board a notice of intent to participate (identifying the party, the 
proposed speaker, and the time requested), and a summary of the 
intended testimony (not to exceed three pages), no later than September 
23, 2013. The notices of intent to participate and the summaries of 
testimony are not required to be served on the parties of record in 
this proceeding; they will be posted to the Board's Web site when they 
are filed.

ADDRESSES: All filings 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 ``www.stb.dot.gov.'' 
Any person submitting a filing in the traditional paper format should 
send an original and 10 copies of the filing to: Surface Transportation 
Board, Attn: Docket No. EP 711, 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-
0001.
    Copies of written submissions will be posted to the Board's Web 
site and will be available for viewing and self-copying in the Board's 
Public Docket Room, Suite 131. Copies of the submissions will also be 
available (for a fee) by contacting the Board's Chief Records Officer 
at (202) 245-0238 or 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Valerie Quinn at (202) 245-0382. 
Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: By decision served on July 25, 2012, the 
Board began a proceeding to consider a proposal submitted by NITL to 
modify the Board's standards for mandatory competitive switching. Under 
its proposal, certain captive shippers located in terminal areas would 
be granted access to a competing railroad if there is a working 
interchange within a reasonable distance (30 miles under NITL's 
proposal). In its decision, the Board sought empirical information 
about the impact of the proposal if it were to be adopted. The Board 
received numerous comments in response to its decision. In order to 
explore further NITL's proposal and the issues raised in the submitted 
comments, the Board will hold a public hearing.
    This action will not significantly affect either the quality of the 
human environment or the conservation of energy resources.
    It is ordered:
    1. A public hearing in this proceeding will be held on October 22, 
2013, at 9:30 a.m., in the Board's Hearing Room, at 395 E Street SW., 
Washington, DC, as described above.
    2. By September 23, 2013, any person wishing to speak at the 
hearing shall file with the Board a notice of intent to participate 
(identifying the party, the proposed speaker, and the time requested), 
and a summary of the intended testimony (not to exceed three pages). 
The notices of intent to participate and the summaries of testimony are 
not required to be served on the parties of record in this proceeding; 
they will be posted to the Board's Web site when they are filed.
    3. This decision is effective on its service date.

    Decided: August 12, 2013.

    By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Derrick A. Gardner,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2013-19828 Filed 8-14-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P