[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 145 (Tuesday, July 29, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44089-44090]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-17741]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board


Notice and Request for Comments

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.

ACTION: 30-day notice of request for approval: End-of-Year Railroad 
Service Outlook.

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SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-
3519 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives 
notice that it is requesting from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) approval of the information collection resulting from the Board's 
annual request that Class I carriers and rail carriers that are members 
of the American Shortline and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) 
provide the Board with information about the plans and preparations 
that these rail carriers have made in anticipation of the increased 
demand for rail service during the fall peak demand season.
    The Board previously published a notice about this collection in 
the Federal Register on June 24, 2013, at 78 FR 37882 (60-day notice). 
That notice allowed for a 60-day public review and comment period. No 
comments were received.
    Comments may now be submitted to OMB concerning: (1) The accuracy 
of

[[Page 44090]]

the Board's burden estimates; (2) ways to enhance the quality, utility, 
and clarity of the information collected; (3) ways to minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on the respondents, including 
the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of 
information technology when appropriate; and (4) whether the collection 
of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions 
of the Board, including whether the collection has practical utility. 
Submitted comments will be considered and also included in the Board's 
request for OMB approval.

Description of Collection

    Title: End-of-Year Railroad Service Outlook.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-XXXX.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Existing collection in use without an OMB control 
number.
    Respondents: The Class I rail carriers and carriers that are 
members of ASLRRA.
    Number of Respondents: An average of 9 carriers respond to this 
request to voluntarily provide this information.\1\
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    \1\ In the 60-day notice, the Board indicated that there were 
approximately 11 respondents. Although no comments were filed, we 
are adjusting our estimate of the number of respondents to nine. 
This adjustment to the Board's estimate is based on our updated 
calculation of the 5-year average number of actual filings by 
respondents.
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    Frequency: Once per year.
    Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): We 
estimate a total of 273 hours for all responding carriers (30.3 hours 
per response x 9 respondents).
    Total ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: Because respondents email their 
response letters to the Board, there are no non-hour costs to 
respondents.
    Needs and Uses: The shipping community and our economy as a whole 
depend on reliable and efficient freight rail service. The Board and 
rail shippers need to understand how carriers plan to meet the 
increased demand for rail service during the fall peak demand season, 
including capital plans for relieving bottlenecks. For several years, 
the Board has asked Class I railroads, along with the ASLRRA member 
railroads, to provide a forward-looking assessment of their ability to 
meet end-of-year business demands for rail service, which typically 
increase during the fall shipping season. The Board uses this 
information to monitor efforts by U.S. rail carriers to meet the 
increased fall peak demand for rail service.

DATES: Comments on this information collection should be submitted by 
August 28, 2014.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``Paperwork 
Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board, End-of-Year 
Railroad Service Outlook.'' These comments should be directed to the 
Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory 
Affairs, Attention: Patrick Fuchs, Surface Transportation Board Desk 
Officer, by email at [email protected]; by fax at (202) 395-
6974; or by mail to Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 
20503.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding the 
``End-of-Year Railroad Service Outlook,'' contact Chris Oehrle at (202) 
245-0271 or [email protected]. [Assistance for the hearing impaired 
is available through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339.] This collection, as well as instructions for the 
collection, are available on the Board's Web site at <http://www.stb.dot.gov/PeakLetters1.nsf/2012?OpenPage>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA, a federal agency conducting 
or sponsoring a collection of information must display a currently 
valid OMB control number. A collection of information, which is defined 
in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c), includes agency requirements 
or requests that persons submit reports, keep records, or provide 
information to the agency, third parties, or the public. Section 
3507(b) of the PRA requires, concurrent with an agency's submitting a 
collection to OMB for approval, a 30-day notice and comment period 
through publication in the Federal Register concerning each proposed 
collection of information, including each proposed extension of an 
existing collection of information.

    Dated: July 24, 2014.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2014-17741 Filed 7-28-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P