60-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval: Petitions for Declaratory Order and Petitions for Relief Not Otherwise Specified

Issuing agencies

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 extensions of the collections regarding petitions for declaratory order and petitions for relief not otherwise specified, as described below.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 192 (Tuesday, October 6, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 192 (Tuesday, October 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63638-63639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-20455]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD


60-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval: Petitions 
for Declaratory Order and Petitions for Relief Not Otherwise Specified

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 
extensions of the collections regarding petitions for declaratory order 
and petitions for relief not otherwise specified, as described below.

DATES: Comments on these information collections should be submitted by 
December 7, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Chris Oehrle, Surface Transportation 
Board, 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001, or to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#dd8d8f9c9daea9bff3bab2ab"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cc9c9e8d8cbfb8aee2aba3ba">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. 
When submitting comments, please refer to ``Paperwork Reduction Act 
Comments, Petitions for Declaratory Orders and Petitions for Relief Not 
Otherwise Specified.'' For further information regarding this 
collection, contact Mike Higgins at (866) 254-1792 (toll-free) or 202-
245-0238, or by emailing <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3143524150714245531f565e47"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d6a4b5a6b796a5a2b4f8b1b9a0">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Assistance for the hearing 
impaired is available through the Federal Information Relay Service 
(FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: For each collection, 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 Collections

Collection Number 1

    Title: Petitions for declaratory order.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0031.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Affected shippers, railroads, communities, and other 
stakeholders that choose to seek a declaratory order from the Board to 
terminate a controversy or remove uncertainty.
    Number of Respondents: Approximately seven (based on the average 
number of petitioners filing during 2023-2025).
    Estimated Time per Response: 180 hours.
    Frequency: On occasion. In calendar years 2023-2025, approximately 
seven petitions for declaratory order were filed with the Board per 
year.
    Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): 1,260 
hours (estimated hours per petition (180) x total number of petitions 
(7)).
    Total ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: Under 5 U.S.C. 554(e) and 49 U.S.C. 1321, the Board 
may issue a declaratory order to terminate a controversy or remove 
uncertainty. Because petitions for declaratory order can encompass a 
broad range of issues and types of requests, the Board does not 
prescribe specific instructions for their filing. The collection by the 
Board regarding petitions for declaratory order that parties choose to 
file enables the Board to meet its statutory duty to regulate the rail 
industry.

Collection Number 2

    Title: Petitions for relief not otherwise provided.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0030.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Affected shippers, railroads, communities, and other 
stakeholders that seek to address issues under the Board's jurisdiction 
that are not otherwise specifically provided for under the Board's 
other regulatory provisions.
    Number of Respondents: Approximately five (based on the average 
number of petitioners filing during 2023-2025).
    Estimated Time per Response: 25 hours.
    Frequency: On occasion. In calendar years 2023-2025, approximately 
six petitions of this type were filed with the Board per year.
    Total Burden Hours (annually including all respondents): 150 hours 
(estimated hours per petition (25) x total number of petitions (6)).
    Total ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: Under 49 U.S.C. 1321 and 49 CFR part 1117 (the 
Board's

[[Page 63639]]

catch-all petition provision), shippers, railroads, and the public in 
general may seek relief (such as waiver of the Board's regulations) not 
otherwise specifically provided for under the Board's other regulatory 
provisions. Under section 1117.1, such petitions should contain three 
items: (a) a short, plain statement of jurisdiction, (b) a short, plain 
statement of petitioner's claim, and (c) request for relief. The 
collection by the Board of these petitions that parties choose to file 
enables the Board to more fully meet its statutory duty to regulate the 
rail industry.
    The Board makes this submission because, 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. 
Under 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), federal agencies are required to 
provide, prior to an agency's submitting a collection to OMB for 
approval, a 60-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 2, 2026.
Stefan Rice,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2026-20455 Filed 10-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P


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