[The Regulatory Plan and 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 LXIII






Surface Transportation Board





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Semiannual Regulatory Agenda

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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD (STB)






_______________________________________________________________________

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

49 CFR Ch. X

[STB Ex Parte No. 536 (Sub-No. 13)]

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 
spring and fall 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 fall 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:  August 30, 2002.

By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice Chairman Burkes.

 Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

                                 Surface Transportation Board--Long-Term Actions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                    Regulation
 Sequence                                          Title                                          Identification
  Number                                                                                              Number
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4351        Calculation of Variable Costs in Rate Complaint Proceedings Including Non-Class I        2140-AA62
            Railroads, STB Ex Parte No. 589.....................................................
4352        Procedures to Expedite Resolution of Rail Rate Challenges to be Considered Under the     2140-AA64
            Stand-Alone Cost Methodology, STB Ex Parte No. 638..................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


                                 Surface Transportation Board--Completed Actions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                    Regulation
 Sequence                                          Title                                          Identification
  Number                                                                                              Number
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4353        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.........
4354        Removal and Revision of Regulations, STB Ex Parte No. 637...........................     2140-AA61
4355        Accounts, Records, and Reports--Technical Amendments, STB Ex Parte No. 636..........     2140-AA63
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


[[Page 75671]]

_______________________________________________________________________


Surface Transportation Board (STB)                    Long-Term Actions






_______________________________________________________________________




4351. [bull] CALCULATION OF VARIABLE COSTS IN RATE COMPLAINT PROCEEDINGS 
INCLUDING NON-CLASS I RAILROADS, STB EX PARTE NO. 589

Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant

Legal Authority: 49 USC 10707

CFR Citation: None

Legal Deadline: None

Abstract: This proceeding was instituted to settle how the STB will 
estimate the variable costs of non-Class I railroads in future rail 
rate complaint cases.

Timetable:
________________________________________________________________________

Action                            Date                      FR Cite

________________________________________________________________________

NPRM                            04/30/02                    67 FR 21321
NPRM Comment Period End         07/31/02


Next Action Undetermined

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No

Small Entities Affected: No

Government Levels Affected: None

Agency Contact: Harold J. 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-AA62
_______________________________________________________________________




4352. [bull] PROCEDURES TO EXPEDITE RESOLUTION OF RAIL RATE CHALLENGES 
TO BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE STAND-ALONE COST METHODOLOGY, STB EX PARTE 
NO. 638

Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant

Legal Authority: 49 USC 721(a)

CFR Citation: 49 CFR 1011; 49 CFR 1109; 49 CFR 1114; 49 CFR 1115; 49 
CFR 1118

Legal Deadline: None

Abstract: The STB is considering a proposal to amend the Board's 
regulations at parts 1011, 1109, 1114, 1115, and 1118 to expedite the 
resolution of rail rate challenges considered under the stand-alone 
cost (SAC) methodology by: (1) making the standard for obtaining 
discovery more restrictive in SAC cases; (2) creating an employee board 
to hear informally and rule quickly on discovery disputes in SAC cases; 
and (3) instituting a requirement that a shipper seeking relief from a 
railroad in such cases engage in non-binding mediation of its dispute 
with the railroad prior to filing its complaint with the Board.

Timetable:
________________________________________________________________________

Action                            Date                      FR Cite

________________________________________________________________________

NPRM                            09/11/02                    67 FR 57557
NPRM Comment Period End         10/09/02


Next Action Undetermined

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No

Small Entities Affected: No

Government Levels Affected: None

Agency Contact: Thomas J. Stilling, Attorney, Surface Transportation 
Board, 1925 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001
Phone: 202 565-1567
TDD Phone: 800 877-8339
Fax: 202 565-9001
Email: [email protected]

RIN: 2140-AA64
_______________________________________________________________________


Surface Transportation Board (STB)                    Completed Actions






_______________________________________________________________________




4353. 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 seeks 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                    05/28/02                    67 FR 36822
Final Action Effective          06/21/02

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
_______________________________________________________________________




4354. [bull] REMOVAL AND REVISION OF REGULATIONS, STB EX PARTE NO. 637

Priority: Info./Admin./Other

Legal Authority: PL 104 88, sec 204; 49 USC 10708

CFR Citation: 49 CFR 1137.2; 49 CFR 1135 (revision)

Legal Deadline: None

Abstract: The Surface Transportation Board removes regulations 
concerning expeditious procedures for publishing separate rates for 
distinct services, and revises regulations concerning rail cost 
recovery procedures, due to the elimination of certain statutory 
provisions upon which these regulations were based.

Timetable:
________________________________________________________________________

Action                            Date                      FR Cite

________________________________________________________________________

Final Action                    08/28/02                    67 FR 55166
Final Action Effective          09/27/02

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No

Small Entities Affected: No

Government Levels Affected: None

Agency Contact: John J. Sado, Attorney, Surface Transportation Board, 
1925 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001

[[Page 75672]]

Phone: 202 565-1661
TDD Phone: 800-877-8339
Fax: 202 565-9003
Email: [email protected]

RIN: 2140-AA61
_______________________________________________________________________




4355. [bull] ACCOUNTS, RECORDS, AND REPORTS--TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS, STB 
EX PARTE NO. 636

Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant

Legal Authority: 49 USC 721; 49 USC 11142 to 11145

CFR Citation: 49 CFR 1200; 49 CFR 1201; 49 CFR 1241 to 1244

Legal Deadline: None

Abstract: This proceeding amends regulations concerning accounts, 
records, and reports to reflect current STB organizational components, 
account titles, and accounting references. In addition, General 
Instruction 1-18, which was inadvertently omitted in recent 
publications of the accounting regulations, is added.

Timetable:
________________________________________________________________________

Action                            Date                      FR Cite

________________________________________________________________________

Final Action                    09/11/02                    67 FR 57532
Final Action Effective          09/30/02

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-AA63
[FR Doc. 02-23900 Filed 12-06-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-S
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