Notice2025-12705

Notice of Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council Vacancies

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
July 9, 2025

Issuing agencies

Surface Transportation Board

Abstract

The Board hereby gives notice of vacancies on RSTAC for a small railroad representative and a small shipper representative. The Board seeks nominations for candidates to fill these vacancies.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 90 Issue 129 (Wednesday, July 9, 2025)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 9, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30544-30545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2025-12705]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 23)]


Notice of Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council 
Vacancies

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board (Board).

ACTION: Notice of vacancies on the Railroad-Shipper Transportation 
Advisory Council (RSTAC) and solicitation of nominations.

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SUMMARY: The Board hereby gives notice of vacancies on RSTAC for a 
small railroad representative and a small shipper representative. The 
Board seeks nominations for candidates to fill these vacancies.

DATES: Nominations are due on August 8, 2025.

ADDRESSES: Nominations may be submitted via e-filing on the Board's 
website at <a href="http://www.stb.gov">www.stb.gov</a>. Submissions will be posted to the Board's 
website under Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 23).

[[Page 30545]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephanie Lyons at (202) 997-7813. If 
you require an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, 
please call (202) 245-0245.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board, created in 1996 to take over many 
of the functions previously performed by the Interstate Commerce 
Commission, exercises broad authority over transportation by rail 
carriers, including regulation of railroad rates, practices, and 
service issues, (49 U.S.C. 10701-47, 11101-24), the construction, 
acquisition, operation, and abandonment of rail lines (49 U.S.C. 10901-
07), as well as railroad line sales, consolidations, mergers, and 
common control arrangements, (49 U.S.C. 10902, 11323-27).
    The ICC Termination Act of 1995 (ICCTA), enacted on December 29, 
1995, established RSTAC to advise the Board's Chairman; the Secretary 
of Transportation; the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate; and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives with respect to rail 
transportation policy issues RSTAC considers significant. RSTAC focuses 
on issues of importance to small shippers and small railroads. ICCTA 
instructs RSTAC to endeavor to develop private sector mechanisms to 
prevent, or identify and address, obstacles to the most effective and 
efficient transportation system practicable. The members of RSTAC also 
prepare an annual report concerning RSTAC's activities. RSTAC is not 
subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act.
    RSTAC's 15 appointed members include representatives of small and 
large shippers, and small and large railroads. These members are 
appointed by the Chairman of the Board. In addition, members of the 
Board and the Secretary of Transportation serve as ex officio members. 
Of the 15 appointed members, nine are voting members and are appointed 
from senior executive officers of organizations engaged in the railroad 
and rail shipping industries. At least four of the voting members must 
be representatives of small shippers as determined by the Chairman of 
the Board, and at least four of the voting members must be 
representatives of Class II or III railroads. The remaining voting 
member has traditionally been an at-large representative. The other six 
members--three representing Class I railroads and three representing 
large shipper organizations--serve in a nonvoting, advisory capacity, 
but may participate in RSTAC deliberations.
    Meetings of RSTAC are required by statute to be held at least semi-
annually. RSTAC typically holds meetings quarterly at the Board's 
headquarters in Washington, DC, although some meetings are held 
virtually or in other locations.
    The members of RSTAC receive no compensation for their services and 
are required to provide for the expenses incidental to their service, 
including travel expenses. Currently, RSTAC members have elected to 
submit annual dues to pay for certain RSTAC expenses.
    RSTAC members must be citizens of the United States and represent 
as broadly as practicable the various segments of the railroad and rail 
shipper industries. They may not be full-time employees of the United 
States Government. According to revised guidance issued by the Office 
of Management and Budget, it is permissible for federally registered 
lobbyists to serve on advisory committees, such as RSTAC, as long as 
they do so in a representative capacity, rather than an individual 
capacity. See Revised Guidance on Appointment of Lobbyists to Fed. 
Advisory Comms., Bds., & Comm'ns, 79 FR 47,482 (Aug. 13, 2014). Members 
of RSTAC are appointed to serve in a representative capacity.
    Each RSTAC member is appointed for a term of three years. No member 
will be eligible to serve in excess of two consecutive terms. However, 
a member may serve after the expiration of his or her term until a 
successor has taken office.
    Due to the retirement and resignation of a small railroad 
representative and the expiration of the term of a small shipper 
representative, the Board is seeking to fill two RSTAC positions. 
Nominations for candidates to fill either vacancy should be submitted 
in letter form, identifying the name of the candidate and the vacancy 
for which the candidate is being nominated, providing a summary of why 
the candidate is qualified to serve on RSTAC, and containing 
representations that the candidate is willing to serve as an RSTAC 
member effective immediately upon appointment. Candidates may nominate 
themselves. RSTAC candidate nominations should be filed with the Board 
by August 8, 2025. Members selected to serve on RSTAC are chosen at the 
discretion of the Board's Chairman.
    Please note that submissions will be posted on the Board's website 
under Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 23) and can also be obtained by 
contacting the Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and 
Compliance at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#93c1d0c3d2d3e0e7f1bdf4fce5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="bdeffeedfcfdcec9df93dad2cb">[email&#160;protected]</span></a> or (202) 245-0238.
    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 1325.

    Decided: July 3, 2025.

    By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Zantori Dickerson,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2025-12705 Filed 7-8-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P


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Indexed from Federal Register on July 9, 2025.

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