[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 60 (Thursday, March 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15781-15782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06276]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD


30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Approval of an Existing 
Collection in Use Without an OMB Control Number: Dispute Resolution 
Procedures Under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act of 
2015

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice and Request for Comments.

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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-
3521 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives 
notice that it is requesting from the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) approval of a new collection to implement a directive of the 
Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act of 2015, Public Law 114-94 
(signed Dec. 4, 2015) (FAST Act). Title XI of the FAST Act, entitled 
``Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015,'' gives the Board 
jurisdiction to resolve cost allocation and access disputes between 
National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), the states, and 
potential non-Amtrak operations of intercity passenger rail service. 
The FAST Act directs the Board to establish procedures for the 
resolution of these disputes, ``which may include the provision of 
professional mediation services.''
    The Board adopted final rules to implement these procedures in 
Dispute Resolution Procedures Under the Fixing America's Surface 
Transportation Act of 2015, EP 734 (STB served Nov. 29, 2016). Due to a 
technical omission in the notice of proposed rulemaking in EP 734 under 
the PRA, the Board is seeking OMB approval for this collection 
separately in this notice. The Board previously published a notice 
about this collection in the Federal Register. 82 FR 1421 (Jan. 5, 
2017). That notice allowed for a 60-day public review and comment 
period. No comments were received.

DATE: Comments on this information collection should be submitted by 
May 1, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``Paperwork 
Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board: Dispute 
Resolution Procedures Under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation 
Act of 2015.'' These comments should be directed to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Chad Lallemand, Surface Transportation Board Desk Officer, 
by email at [email protected]; by fax at

[[Page 15782]]

(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 Michael Higgins, Deputy Director, Office of Public 
Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245-0284 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: For each collection, 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.

Description of Collection

    Title: Dispute Resolution Procedures Under the Fixing America's 
Surface Transportation Act of 2015.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-XXXX.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Existing collection in use without an OMB control 
number.
    Respondents: Parties seeking the Board's informal assistance under 
the FAST Act.
    Number of Respondents: Approximately three.
    Estimated Time Per Response: One hour.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): Three 
(estimated hours per response (1) x total number of responses (3)).
    Total ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings may be 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: Under the new 49 CFR 1109.5, parties to a dispute 
involving the State-Sponsored Route Committee or the Northeast Corridor 
Committee may, by a letter submitted to the Board's Office of Public 
Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance, request the Board's 
informal assistance in securing outside professional mediation 
services. The letter shall include a concise description of the issues 
for which outside professional mediation services are sought. The 
collection by the Board of these request letters enables the Board to 
meet its statutory duty under the FAST Act.
    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. 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.

    Dated: March 27, 2017.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2017-06276 Filed 3-29-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P