[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10507-10508]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-03595]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD


60-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval: Dispute 
Resolution Procedures Under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation 
Act

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (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 Dispute Resolution Procedures, as 
described below.

DATES: Comments on this information collection should be submitted by 
April 24, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Chris Oehrle, Surface Transportation 
Board, 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001, or to [email protected]. 
When submitting comments, please refer to ``Paperwork Reduction Act 
Comments, Dispute Resolution Procedures.'' For further information 
regarding this collection, contact Michael Higgins, Deputy Director, 
Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance 
(OPAGAC), at (202) 245-0284 or [email protected]. Assistance for 
the hearing impaired is available through the Federal Relay Service at 
(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: Dispute Resolution Procedures.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0036.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Parties seeking the Board's informal assistance under 
Fixing America's Surface Transportation Act, Public Law 114-94 (signed 
Dec. 4, 2015) (FAST Act).
    Number of Respondents: Approximately three.
    Estimated Time Per Response: One hour.
    Frequency: On occasion.
    Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): Three 
hours (estimated hours per response (1) x total number of responses 
(3)).
    Total Annual ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost (such as start-up and mailing 
costs): There are no non-hourly burden costs for this collection.
    Needs and Uses: 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 the 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.'' 49 U.S.C. 24712(c)(2), 24905(c)(4). Under 49 CFR 1109.5, 
the Board provides that parties to a dispute involving the State-
Sponsored Route Committee or the Northeast Corridor Committee may, by a 
letter submitted to OPAGAC, 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. 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.


[[Page 10508]]


    Dated: February 19, 2020.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2020-03595 Filed 2-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P