[Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions]
[Surface Transportation Board Semiannual Regulatory Agenda]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


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Part LXI





Surface Transportation Board





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Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

[[Page 34254]]



SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD (STB)                                     


  



_______________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

49 CFR Ch. X

[STB Ex Parte No. 536 (Sub-No. 12)]

Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Semiannual regulatory agenda.

_______________________________________________________________________

SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board (Board or STB), in accordance 
with the requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, is publishing 
a semiannual agenda of: (1) current and projected rulemakings; and (2) 
existing regulations being reviewed to determine whether to propose 
modifications through rulemaking. Listed below are the regulatory 
actions to be developed or reviewed during the next 12 months. 
Following each rule identified is a brief description of the rule, 
including its purpose and legal basis.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A contact person is identified for 
each of the rules listed below.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 
et seq. (RFA), sets forth a number of requirements for agency 
rulemaking. Among other things, the RFA requires that, during the 
months of April and October of each year, each agency shall publish in 
the Federal Register a regulatory flexibility agenda, which shall 
contain:

     (1) A brief description of the subject area of any rule which 
the agency expects to propose or promulgate which is likely to have 
a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities;

     (2) A summary of the nature of any such rule under 
consideration for each subject area listed in the agenda pursuant 
to paragraph (1), the objectives and legal basis for the issuance 
of the rule, and an approximate schedule for completing action on 
any rule for which the agency has issued a general notice of 
proposed rulemaking; and

     (3) The name and telephone number of an agency official 
knowledgeable concerning the items listed in paragraph (1).

     Accordingly, a list of proceedings appears below containing 
information about subject areas in which the Board is currently 
conducting rulemaking proceedings or may institute such proceedings 
in the near future. It also contains information about existing 
regulations being reviewed to determine whether to propose 
modifications through rulemaking.

     The agenda represents the Board's best estimate of rules that 
will be considered over the next 12 months. However, section 602(d) 
of the RFA, 5 U.S.C. 602(d), provides: ``Nothing in [section 602] 
precludes an agency from considering or acting on any matter not 
included in a regulatory flexibility agenda or requires an agency 
to consider or act on any matter listed in such agenda.''

     The Board is publishing its Spring 2002 regulatory flexibility 
agenda as part of the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and 
Deregulatory Actions (Unified Agenda). The Unified Agenda is 
coordinated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), pursuant 
to Executive Order 12866. The Board is participating in the program 
voluntarily to assist OMB.

Decided:  March 13, 2002.

By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Burkes.

 Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

                                 Surface Transportation Board--Final Rule Stage
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                                                                                                    Regulation
 Sequence                                          Title                                          Identification
  Number                                                                                              Number
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4083        Arbitration--Various Matters Relating to its Use as an Effective Means of Resolving      2140-AA60
            Disputes That are Subject to the Board's Jurisdiction, STB Ex Parte No. 586.........
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                                 Surface Transportation Board--Completed Actions
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                                                                                                    Regulation
 Sequence                                          Title                                          Identification
  Number                                                                                              Number
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4084        Procedures for Surface Transportation Board Consideration of Safety Integration          2140-AA50
            Plans in Cases Involving Railroad Consolidations, Mergers, and Control, STB Ex Parte
            No. 574.............................................................................
4085        Modification of the Carload Waybill Sample Reporting Procedures, STB Ex Parte No.        2140-AA57
            385 (Sub-No. 5).....................................................................
4086        Consolidated Railroad Reporting, STB Ex Parte No. 634...............................     2140-AA58
4087        Electronic Access to Case Filings, STB Ex Parte No. 576.............................     2140-AA59
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[[Page 34255]]

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Surface Transportation Board (STB)                     Final Rule Stage


  



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4083.  ARBITRATION--VARIOUS MATTERS RELATING TO ITS USE AS AN 
EFFECTIVE MEANS OF RESOLVING DISPUTES THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THE BOARD'S 
JURISDICTION, STB EX PARTE NO. 586

Priority: Info./Admin./Other

Legal Authority: 49 USC 721(a)

CFR Citation: 49 CFR 1111; 49 CFR 1109.3

Legal Deadline: None

Abstract: The Surface Transportation Board is seeking to increase 
utilization of its existing procedures for voluntary arbitration of 
matters subject to the agency's jurisdiction, by adding to its rules a 
requirement that a party filing a formal complaint include a statement 
that it first considered arbitration.

Timetable:
________________________________________________________________________

Action                            Date                      FR Cite

________________________________________________________________________

NPRM                            09/24/01                    66 FR 48853
NPRM Comment Period End         01/03/02
Final Action                    05/00/02
Final Action Effective          07/00/02

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No

Small Entities Affected: No

Government Levels Affected: None

Agency Contact: Alice C. Saylor, Attorney, Surface Transportation 
Board, 1925 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20423
Phone: 202 565-1572
TDD Phone: 800 877-8339
Fax: 202 565-9001
Email: [email protected]

RIN: 2140-AA60
_______________________________________________________________________


Surface Transportation Board (STB)                    Completed Actions


  



_______________________________________________________________________




4084. PROCEDURES FOR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD CONSIDERATION OF 
SAFETY INTEGRATION PLANS IN CASES INVOLVING RAILROAD CONSOLIDATIONS, 
MERGERS, AND CONTROL, STB EX PARTE NO. 574

Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant

Legal Authority: 5 USC 553; 5 USC 559; 49 USC 721; 49 USC 10901; 49 USC 
10902; 49 USC 11323; 49 USC 11324; 49 USC 11325; 42 USC 4332

CFR Citation: 49 CFR 244; 49 CFR 1106

Legal Deadline: None

Abstract: The Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Railroad 
Administration (FRA) have adopted complementary regulations 
establishing procedures for the development and implementation of 
safety integration plans (SIPs) by railroads proposing to engage in 
certain merger, consolidation, or acquisition of control transactions 
with another railroad. Under the rules, railroads seeking to consummate 
a Board-covered transaction would be required to file a written 
document with the FRA and the Board explaining how each step in 
implementing a contemplated transaction would be performed safely.

Timetable:
________________________________________________________________________

Action                            Date                      FR Cite

________________________________________________________________________

ANPRM                           12/04/97                    62 FR 64193
ANPRM Comment Period End        02/19/98
NPRM                            12/31/98                    63 FR 72225
NPRM Comment Period End         03/01/99
Final Action                    03/08/02                    67 FR 11582
Final Action Effective          04/14/02

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No

Small Entities Affected: No

Government Levels Affected: None

Agency Contact: Evelyn Kitay, Attorney, Surface Transportation Board, 
1925 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001
Phone: 202 565-1563
TDD Phone: 800 877-8339
Fax: 202 565-9001
Email: [email protected]

Related RIN: Related To 2130-AB24
RIN: 2140-AA50
_______________________________________________________________________




4085. MODIFICATION OF THE CARLOAD WAYBILL SAMPLE REPORTING PROCEDURES, 
STB EX PARTE NO. 385 (SUB-NO. 5)

Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant

Legal Authority: 49 USC 721; 49 USC 10707; 49 USC 11144; 49 USC 11145

CFR Citation: 49 CFR 1244

Legal Deadline: None

Abstract: The Surface Transportation Board modified its regulations to 
require all railroads operating in the United States to include in the 
Carload Waybill Sample international rail traffic moving from or 
through the United States and to report such traffic in the Waybill 
Sample as if the traffic had terminated at the United States border. 
The intent of this proposal is to ensure that the Waybill Sample 
reflects a representative sample of all railroad traffic moving on the 
U.S. rail system.

Timetable:
________________________________________________________________________

Action                            Date                      FR Cite

________________________________________________________________________

NPRM                            09/08/00                    65 FR 54471
NPRM Comment Period End         10/12/00
Final Action                    10/24/01                    66 FR 53934
Final Action Effective          01/01/02

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No

Small Entities Affected: No

Government Levels Affected: None

Agency Contact: H. Jeff Warren, Transportation Industry Analyst, 
Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20423
Phone: 202 565-1533
TDD Phone: 800 877-8339
Fax: 202 565-9000
Email: [email protected]

RIN: 2140-AA57
_______________________________________________________________________




4086. CONSOLIDATED RAILROAD REPORTING, STB EX PARTE NO. 634

Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant

Legal Authority: 49 USC 721(b); 49 USC 10704(a)(3)

CFR Citation: 49 CFR 1201; 49 CFR 1241 to 1248

Legal Deadline: None

Abstract: The Surface Transportation Board adopted regulations 
requiring consolidated reports for each group of railroads (or railroad 
related affiliates) that operate as a single, integrated United States 
rail system, whose

[[Page 34256]]

cumulative operating revenues meet the Class I threshold.

Timetable:
________________________________________________________________________

Action                            Date                      FR Cite

________________________________________________________________________

NPRM                            09/25/00                    65 FR 57650
NPRM Comment Period End         10/25/00
Final Action                    11/07/01                    66 FR 56245
Final Action Effective          01/01/02

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No

Small Entities Affected: No

Government Levels Affected: None

Agency Contact: Paul A. Aguiar, Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K 
Street NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001
Phone: 202 565-1527
TDD Phone: 800 877-8339
Fax: 202 565-9000
Email: [email protected]

RIN: 2140-AA58
_______________________________________________________________________




4087.  ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO CASE FILINGS, STB EX PARTE NO. 576

Priority: Info./Admin./Other

Legal Authority: 49 USC 721

CFR Citation: 49 CFR 1104

Legal Deadline: None

Abstract: The Surface Transportation Board amended its rules governing 
how documents are filed in agency proceedings to facilitate the 
scanning of those documents for publication on the Board's internet 
website.

Timetable:
________________________________________________________________________

Action                            Date                      FR Cite

________________________________________________________________________

Final Action                    02/06/02                     67 FR 5513
Final Action Effective          03/08/02

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No

Small Entities Affected: No

Government Levels Affected: None

Agency Contact: Anne K. Quinlan, Attorney Advisor, Surface 
Transportation Board, 1925 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001
Phone: 202 565-1727
TDD Phone: 800 877-8339
Fax: 202 565-9019
Email: [email protected]

RIN: 2140-AA59
[FR Doc. 02-7704 Filed 05-10-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-S
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