[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 97 (Monday, May 22, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23481-23482]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10420]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD


30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval and Merger 
of Collections: Statutory Licensing Authority

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 (PRA), the 
Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives notice that it is 
requesting from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) an extension 
of approval for the information collections required from those seeking 
licensing authority under 49 U.S.C. 10901-03 and consolidation 
authority under sections 11323-26. The Board is also seeking approval 
to merge into this collection (OMB Control Number: 2140-0023) the 
collection of information about interchange commitments (OMB Control 
Number: 2140-0016).
    The Board previously published a notice about this collection on 
January 26, 2017 in the Federal Register. 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 
June 21, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``Paperwork 
Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board: Statutory 
Licensing Authority.'' 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 (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,

[[Page 23482]]

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: The Board currently collects information 
from those seeking licensing authority under OMB Control Number 2140-
0023 and, under that collection, requires the disclosure of information 
about rail interchange commitments, which is also addressed under OMB 
Control Number 2140-0016. This request proposes to combine collections 
under Control Numbers 2140-0016 and 2140-0023 with 2140-0023 being the 
survivor. The Board will request to discontinue Control Number 2140-
0016 upon OMB approval of the merger.
    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. Submitted comments will be summarized 
and included in the Board's request for OMB approval.

Description of Collection 1

    Title: Statutory Licensing Authority.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0023.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension with change (The number of respondents 
increased from 74 to 76. The number of applications decreased from 2 to 
1; the number of petitions decreased from 18 to 12; and the number of 
notices increased from 103 to 113.)
    Respondents: Rail carriers and non-carriers seeking statutory 
licensing or consolidation authority or an exemption from filing an 
application for such authority.
    Number of Respondents: 76 \1\.
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    \1\ Approximately 40% of the filings are additional filings 
submitted by railroads that had already submitted filings during the 
time period.
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    Estimated Time per Response:

                      Estimated Hours per Response
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                                                         Number of hours
                                                           per response
                     Type of filing                      under 49 U.S.C.
                                                           10901-03 and
                                                             11323-26
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Applications...........................................              524
Petitions *............................................               58
Notices *..............................................               19
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* Under section 10502, petitions for exemption and notices of exemption
  are permitted in lieu of an application.

    Frequency: On occasion.

                     Number of Responses in FY 2015
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                                                            Number of
                                                          filings under
                     Type of filing                      49 U.S.C. 10901-
                                                         03 and 11323-26
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applications...........................................                1
Petitions *............................................               12
Notices *..............................................              113
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* Under section 10502, petitions for exemption and notices of exemption
  are permitted in lieu of an application.

    Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): 3,367 (sum 
of estimated hours per response x number of responses for each type of 
filing)
    Total ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: As mandated by Congress, persons seeking to 
construct, acquire or operate a line of railroad and railroads seeking 
to abandon or to discontinue operations over a line of railroad or, in 
the case of two or more railroads, to consolidate their interests 
through merger or a common-control arrangement are required to file an 
application for prior approval and authority with the Board. See 49 
U.S.C. 10901-03, 11323-26. Under 49 U.S.C. 10502, persons may seek an 
exemption from many of the application requirements of sections 10901-
03 and 11323-26 by filing with the Board a petition for exemption or 
notice of exemption in lieu of an application. The collection by the 
Board of these applications, petitions, and notices (including 
collection of disclosures of rail interchange commitments under 49 CFR 
1121.3(d), 1150.33(h), 1150.43(h), and 1180.4(g)(4)) enables the Board 
to meet its statutory duty to regulate the referenced rail 
transactions.

Description of Collection 2

    Title: Disclosure of Rail Interchange Commitments.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0016.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Merger.
    Respondents: Noncarriers and carriers seeking an exemption to 
acquire (through purchase or lease) or to operate a rail line, if the 
proposed transaction would create an interchange commitment.
    Number of Respondents: Four.
    Estimated Time per Response: Eight hours.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): 32 hours.
    Total ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings may be 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: Under 49 U.S.C. 10502, noncarriers and carriers may 
seek an exemption from the prior approval requirements of sections 
10901, 10902, and 11323 to acquire (through purchase or lease) or to 
operate a rail line. These transactions may create agreements with 
interchange commitments. If the interchange commitments limit the 
future interchange of traffic with third parties, then certain 
information must be disclosed to the Board about those commitments. 49 
CFR 1121.3(d), 1150.33(h), 1150.43(h), 1180.4(g)(4). The collection of 
this information facilitates the case-specific review of interchange 
commitments and enables the Board's monitoring of their usage 
generally.
    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: May 17, 2017.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2017-10420 Filed 5-19-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P