Notice2023-22973
30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval of Collection: Statutory Licensing Authority
Primary source
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Published
October 18, 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 approval for the information collection required from those seeking statutory licensing authority, as described below.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71922-71923]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-22973]
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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval of
Collection: Statutory Licensing Authority
ACTION: Notice and request for comments.
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AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.
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 approval for the information collection required from
those seeking statutory licensing authority, as described below.
DATES: Comments on this information collection should be submitted by
November 17, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``Paperwork
Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board, Statutory
Licensing Authority.'' 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 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#412e2833201e3234232c283232282e2f012e2c236f242e316f262e37"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8de2e4ffecd2fef8efe0e4fefee4e2e3cde2e0efa3e8e2fda3eae2fb">[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#23737162635057410d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d8888a9998abacbaf6bfb7ae">[email protected]</span></a>. When submitting comments, please refer to
``Paperwork Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board:
Statutory Licensing Authority.'' For further information regarding this
collection, contact Michael Higgins, Deputy Director, Office of Public
Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance, at (202) 245-0284 or
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5a373339323b3f367432333d3d3334291a292e38743d352c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0c61656f646d69602264656b6b65627f4c7f786e226b637a">[email protected]</span></a>. If you require an accommodation under the
Americans with Disabilities Act, please call (202) 245-0245.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board previously published a notice
about this collection in the Federal Register (88 FR 52237 (August 7,
2023)). That notice allowed for a 60-day public review and comment
period. No comments were received.
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: Statutory Licensing Authority.
OMB Control Number: 2140-0023.
STB Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change.
Respondents: Rail carriers and non-carriers seeking statutory
licensing or consolidation authority, an exemption from filing an
application for such authority, or interchange commitments.
Number of Respondents: 85.
Estimated Time per Response:
Estimated Hours per Response
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Number of
hours per
response under
Type of filing 49 U.S.C.
10901-03 and
11323-26
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Applications............................................ 575
Petitions *............................................. 75
Notices *............................................... 25
Interchange commitments................................. 10
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Frequency: On occasion.
Average Annual Number of Responses for FY 2020-2022
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Average
number of
filings per
Type of filing year under 49
U.S.C. 10901-
03 and 11323-
----------------------------------------------------------------26------
Applications............................................ 7
Petitions *............................................. 15
Notices *............................................... 88
Interchange commitments................................. 5
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Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): 7,300
hours (sum of estimated hours per response x number of responses for
each type of filing).
Total Annual Burden Hours
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Hours per Annual number Total annual
Type of filing response of filings burden hours
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Applications.................................................... 575 7 4,025
Petitions *..................................................... 75 15 1,125
Notices *....................................................... 25 88 2,200
[[Page 71923]]
Interchange commitments......................................... 10 5 50
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Total annual burden hours................................... .............. .............. 7,300
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* Under section 10502, petitions for exemption and notices of exemption are permitted in lieu of an application.
Total ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are
submitted electronically to the Board. However, for some filings,
respondents are sometimes required to send documentation or
consultation letters to various other governmental agencies or parties,
some of which may involve limited mailing costs, which staff estimates
in total to be approximately $2,100.
Needs and Uses: As mandated by Congress, an application for prior
approval and authority must be filed with the Board by persons seeking
to construct, acquire, or operate a line of railroad; by railroads
seeking to abandon or discontinue operations over a line of railroad;
and, in the case of two or more railroads, by railroads seeking to
consolidate their interests through merger or a common-control
arrangement. 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. If the actions for which authority is
sought create agreements with interchange commitments that 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,
including each proposed extension of an existing collection of
information.
Dated: October 13, 2023.
Kenyatta Clay,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2023-22973 Filed 10-17-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
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