Notice2023-11198
30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval of Collection: Rail Depreciation Studies
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 25, 2023
Issuing agencies
Surface Transportation Board
Abstract
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 Rail Depreciation Studies, described below.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 101 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 101 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33955-33956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-11198]
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval of
Collection: Rail Depreciation Studies
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 Rail Depreciation Studies, described
below.
DATES: Comments on this information collection should be submitted by
June 26, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``Paperwork
Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board, Rail Depreciation
Studies.'' Written comments for the proposed information collection
should be submitted via <a href="http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain">www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain</a>. This
information collection can be accessed by selecting ``Currently under
Review--Open for Public Comments'' or by using the
[[Page 33956]]
search function. As an alternative, written comments may be directed to
the Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Michael J. McManus, Surface
Transportation Board Desk Officer: via email at
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#afc0c6ddcef0dcdacdc2c6dcdcc6c0c1efc0c2cd81cac0df81c8c0d9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="acc3c5decdf3dfd9cec1c5dfdfc5c3c2ecc3c1ce82c9c3dc82cbc3da">[email protected]</span></a>; by fax at (202) 395-1743; or by mail to
Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20503.
Please also direct all comments to Chris Oehrle, PRA Officer,
Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-
0001, or to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a9f9fbe8e9daddcb87cec6df"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="42121003023136206c252d34">[email protected]</span></a>. When submitting comments, please refer to
``Paperwork Reduction Act Comments, Rail Depreciation Studies.'' For
further information regarding this collection, contact Pedro Ramirez at
(202) 245-0333 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f68693928499d884979b9f84938cb6858294d8919980"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e3938687918ccd91828e8a918699a3909781cd848c95">[email protected]</span></a>. Assistance for the hearing
impaired is available through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-
8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board previously published a notice
about this collection in the Federal Register (88 FR 16512 (March 17,
2023)). That notice allowed for a 60-day public review and comment
period. No comments were received.
Comments are requested concerning each collection as to (1) whether
the particular collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the Board, including whether the
collection has practical utility; (2) the accuracy of the Board's
burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity
of the information collected; and (4) 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. Submitted comments will be included and
summarized in the Board's request for OMB approval.
Subjects: In this notice, the Board is requesting comments on the
extension of the following information collection:
Description of Collection
Title: Rail Depreciation Studies.
OMB Control Number: 2140-0028.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Seven.
Estimated Time per Response: Approximately 250 hours per study
(estimating that studies will require between 125 hours and 375 hours
depending on the extent to which the carrier provides assistance to
outside consultants performing the study for them).
Frequency of Response: Bi-annual. (Under 49 CFR part 1201, sections
4-1 to 4-4, the Board requires all Class I (large) carriers to submit
depreciation studies no less frequently than every three years for
equipment property and every six years for road property. That means
that for any given six-year period, the Class I railroads must submit
no fewer than three depreciation reports, or the equivalent of 0.5
depreciation reports per year.)
Total Annual Hour Burden: 875 hours (250 hours x 0.5 studies/year x
7 Class I railroads).
Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: Approximately $210,000 per
year. Board staff estimates that each biennial study will cost between
$20,000 and $100,000 to reflect recent price escalation, which converts
to an annual cost of approximately $10,000-$50,000 per year. Using an
average cost ($30,000 per year X 7 Class I railroads), the non-hour
burden cost is estimated to be approximately $210,000 per year.
Needs and Uses: Under 49 CFR part 1201, sections 4-1 to 4-4, the
Board is required to identify those classes of property for which rail
carriers may include depreciation charges under operating expenses, and
the Board must also prescribe a rate of depreciation that may be
charged to those classes of property. Under 49 U.S.C. 11145, Class I
rail carriers are required to submit Depreciation Studies to the Board.
Information in these studies is not available from any other source.
The Board uses the information in these studies to prescribe
depreciation rates. These depreciation rate prescriptions state the
period for which the depreciation rates therein are applicable. Class I
railroads apply the prescribed depreciation rates to their investment
base to determine monthly and annual depreciation expense. This expense
is included in the railroads' operating expenses, which are reported in
their R-1 reports (OMB Control Number 2140-0009). Operating expenses
are used to develop operating costs for application in various
proceedings before the Board, such as in rate reasonableness cases and
in the determination of railroad ``revenue adequacy.''
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,
including each proposed extension of an existing collection of
information.
Information from certain schedules contained in these reports is
available at the Board's website at <a href="http://www.stb.gov">www.stb.gov</a> by navigating to
``Reports & Data'' and clicking on ``Economic Data.'' Information in
these reports is not available from any other source.
Dated: May 22, 2023.
Stefan Rice,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2023-11198 Filed 5-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
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