Surface Transportation Board – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

On December 14, 2023, Green Eagle Railroad, LLC (GER), a subsidiary of Puerto Verde Holdings (PVH), filed a petition with the Surface Transportation Board (Board) for authority to construct and operate approximately 1.3 miles of new common carrier rail line (the Line) in Maverick County, Texas. The Line would extend from the United States/Mexico border to the existing Union Pacific Railroad (UP) connection at approximate UP milepost 31. The Line would be part of a larger project proposed by PVH, the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge (PVGTB Project), consisting of a new trade corridor for freight rail and commercial motor vehicles between Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, and Eagle Pass, Texas, United States. The Board's Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) determined that the construction and operation of the Line has the potential to result in significant environmental impacts; therefore, the preparation of an EIS is appropriate pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). In addition to the Line, the PVGTB Project in the United States includes an approximately 1.3-mile roadway and other infrastructure as described below. Only the Line requires licensing authority from the Board. The Line and the roadway would cross the Rio Grande River via two new bridges. Separately from the Board's final decision on GER's petition, the proposed bridges would require permits from the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). USCG will participate as a Cooperating Agency in the EIS process.

The Board will hold a hearing involving the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak), CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT), Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR), the Alabama State Port Authority and its rail carrier division, the Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks (collectively, the ``Port''; and with Amtrak, CSXT, and NSR, the ``Parties''), and the City of Mobile, Ala. (Mobile), if Mobile chooses to participate. The hearing will take place on February 14, 2024, at 11 a.m. EST in the hearing room of the Board's headquarters. The hearing will also be available for public viewing on YouTube.

In a decision served on January 19, 2024, the Board proposed to adopt 1.011 (1.1% per year) as the measure of average (geometric mean) change in railroad productivity for the 2018-2022 (five-year) period. The Board's January 19, 2024 decision stated that comments may be filed addressing any perceived data and computational errors in the Board's calculation. The decision also stated that, unless a further order is issued postponing the effective date, the decision will take effect on March 1, 2024.

The Surface Transportation Board (Board) is issuing a final rule to implement the annual inflationary adjustment to its civil monetary penalties, pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.

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 information collections of the Joint Notice of Intent to Arbitrate and Notice of Availability for Arbitrator Roster, as described separately below.

The Surface Transportation Board (Board) hereby gives notice of vacancies on its newly formed Passenger Railroad Advisory Committee (PRAC). The Board is soliciting nominations from the public for candidates to fill these vacancies.

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 Demurrage Liability Disclosure Requirements, as described below.