[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Page 78682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-26926]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD


30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval: Class I 
Railroad Annual Report

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
3501-21 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives 
notice of its intent to seek approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for an extension of the collection of Class I Railroad 
Annual Reports, described below. The Board previously published a 
notice about this collection in the Federal Register. 81 FR 47486 (July 
21, 2016). That notice allowed for a 60-day public review and comment 
period. No comments were received.

DATES: Comments on this information collection should be submitted by 
December 8, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``Paperwork 
Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board: Class I Railroad 
Annual Report.'' These comments should be directed to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Chandana L. Achanta, 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. Please also direct comments to Chris Oehrle, Surface 
Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, or 
to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding this 
collection, contact Pedro Ramirez at (202) 245-0333 or at 
[email protected]. [Assistance for the hearing impaired is 
available through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-
800-877-8339.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are requested concerning: (1) The 
accuracy of 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 summarized 
and included in the Board's request for OMB approval.

Description of Collection

    Title: Class I Railroad Annual Report.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0009.
    Form Number: R-1.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Class I railroads.
    Number of Respondents: Seven.
    Estimated Time per Response: No more than 800 hours. This estimate 
includes time spent reviewing instructions; searching existing data 
sources; gathering and maintaining the data needed; completing and 
reviewing the collection of information; and converting the data from 
the carrier's individual accounting system to the Board's Uniform 
System of Accounts (USOA), which ensures that the information will be 
presented in a consistent format across all reporting railroads. See 49 
U.S.C. 11141-43, 11161-64; 49 CFR 1200-01.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Total Annual Hour Burden: No more than 5,600 hours annually.
    Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: No ``non-hour cost'' burdens 
associated with this collection have been identified. The information 
is submitted electronically.
    Needs and Uses: Annual reports are required to be filed by Class I 
railroads under 49 U.S.C. 11145. The reports show operating expenses 
and operating statistics of the carriers. Operating expenses include 
costs for right-of-way and structures, equipment, train and yard 
operations, and general and administrative expenses. Operating 
statistics include such items as car-miles, revenue-ton-miles, and 
gross ton-miles. The reports are used by the Board, other Federal 
agencies, and industry groups to monitor and assess railroad industry 
growth, financial stability, traffic, and operations, and to identify 
industry changes that may affect national transportation policy. 
Information from this report is also entered into the Board's Uniform 
Rail Costing System (URCS), which is a cost measurement methodology. 
URCS, which was developed by the Board pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 11161, is 
used as a tool in rail rate proceedings (in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 
10707(d)) to calculate the variable costs associated with providing a 
particular service. The Board also uses this information to more 
effectively carry out other regulatory responsibilities, including: 
Acting on railroad requests for authority to engage in Board-regulated 
financial transactions such as mergers, acquisitions of control, and 
consolidations, see 49 U.S.C. 11323-24; analyzing the information that 
the Board obtains through the annual railroad industry waybill sample, 
see 49 CFR 1244; measuring off-branch costs in railroad abandonment 
proceedings, in accordance with 49 CFR 1152.32(n); developing the 
``rail cost adjustment factors,'' in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 10708; 
and conducting investigations and rulemakings.
    Under the PRA, a federal agency that conducts or sponsors 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 that persons 
submit reports, keep records, or provide information to the agency, 
third parties, or the public. Under 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), federal 
agencies are required to provide, prior to an agency's submitting a 
collection to OMB for approval, a 60-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.
    Information from certain schedules contained in these reports is 
compiled and published on the Board's Web site, www.stb.gov. 
Information in these reports is not available from any other source.

    Dated: November 2, 2016.
Brendetta S. Jones,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2016-26926 Filed 11-7-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P