30-Day Notice and Request for Comments, 848-850 [E9-128]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 5 / Thursday, January 8, 2009 / Notices
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Where, as here, BIR is abandoning all
of its rail lines, the Board does not
normally impose labor protection under
49 U.S.C. 10502(g), unless the evidence
indicates the existence of: (1) A
corporate affiliate that will continue
substantially similar rail operations; or
(2) a corporate parent that will realize
substantial financial benefits over and
above relief from the burden of deficit
operations by its subsidiary railroad.
See Wellsville, Addison & Galeton R.
Corp.—Abandonment, 354 I.C.C. 744
(1978); and Northampton and Bath R.
Co.—Abandonment, 354 I.C.C. 784
(1978). Because BRI does not appear to
have a corporate affiliate or parent that
will continue similar operations or that
could benefit from the proposed
abandonment, employee protective
conditions will not be imposed.
Provided no formal expression of
intent to file an offer of financial
assistance (OFA) has been received, this
exemption will be effective on February
7, 2009, unless stayed pending
reconsideration. Petitions to stay that do
not involve environmental issues,3
formal expressions of intent to file an
OFA under 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(2),4 and
trail use/rail banking requests under 49
CFR 1152.29 must be filed by January
21, 2009. Petitions to reopen or requests
for public use conditions under 49 CFR
1152.28 must be filed by January 28,
2009,5 with the Surface Transportation
Board, 395 E Street, SW., Washington,
DC 20423–0001.
A copy of any petition filed with the
Board should be sent to BIR’s
representative: Karl Morell, Ball Janik
LLP, 1455 F Street, NW., Suite 225,
Washington, DC 20005.
If the verified notice contains false or
misleading information, the exemption
is void ab initio.
BIR has filed environmental and
historic reports that address the effects,
if any, of the abandonment on the
environment and historic resources.
SEA will issue an environmental
3 The Board will grant a stay if an informed
decision on environmental issues (whether raised
by a party or by the Board’s Section of
Environmental Analysis (SEA) in its independent
investigation) cannot be made before the
exemption’s effective date. See Exemption of Outof-Service Rail Lines, 5 I.C.C. 2d 377 (1989). Any
request for a stay should be filed as soon as possible
so that the Board may take appropriate action before
the exemption’s effective date.
4 Effective July 18, 2008, the filing fee for an OFA
increased to $1,500. See Regulations Governing
Fees for Services Performed in Connection with
Licensing and Related Services—2008 Update, STB
Ex Parte No. 542 (Sub-No. 15) (STB served June 18,
2008).
5 BIR states that the property underlying the line’s
right-of-way may be reversionary, which may affect
the transfer of the property for other than rail or
rail-banking purposes.
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13:57 Jan 07, 2009
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assessment (EA) by January 13, 2009.
Interested persons may obtain a copy of
the EA by writing to SEA (Room 1100,
Surface Transportation Board,
Washington, DC 20423–0001) or by
calling SEA, at (202) 245–0305.
[Assistance for the hearing impaired is
available through the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–
800–877–8339.] Comments on
environmental and historic preservation
matters must be filed within 15 days
after the EA becomes available to the
public.
Environmental, historic preservation,
public use, or trail use/rail banking
conditions will be imposed, where
appropriate, in a subsequent decision.
Pursuant to the provisions of 49 CFR
1152.29(e)(2), BIR shall file a notice of
consummation with the Board to signify
that it has exercised the authority
granted and fully abandoned the line. If
consummation has not been effected by
BIR’s filing of a notice of consummation
by January 8, 2010, and there are no
legal or regulatory barriers to
consummation, the authority to
abandon will automatically expire.
Board decisions and notices are
available on our Web site at https://
www.stb.dot.gov.
Decided: January 2, 2009.
By the Board, David M. Konschnik,
Director, Office of Proceedings.
Kulunie L. Cannon,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. E9–107 Filed 1–7–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
30-Day Notice and Request for
Comments
AGENCY:
Surface Transportation Board,
DOT.
ACTION: 30-day notice and request for
comments.
SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort
to reduce paperwork burdens, and as
required by the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
(PRA), the Surface Transportation Board
(Board) gives notice that it is requesting
from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) an extension of approval
without change of the seven existing
collections described below.
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
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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.
DATES: Written comments are due on
February 9, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be identified as ‘‘Paperwork Reduction
Act Comments, Surface Transportation
Board,’’ and should refer to the title of
the specific collection(s) commented
upon. These comments should be
directed to the Office of Management
and Budget, Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Chandana
Achanta, Surface Transportation Board
Desk Officer, by fax at (202) 395–6974;
by mail at Room 10235, 725 17th Street,
NW., Washington, DC 20503; or at
Chandana_L._Achanta@omb.eop.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
additional information or copies of the
information collection(s) contact Scott
Decker at (202) 245–0330 or
deckers@stb.dot.gov. [Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) for the
hearing impaired: (800) 877–8339.]
Subjects: In this notice the Board is
requesting that comments be sent to
OMB on the following information
collections:
Collection Number 1
Title: Class I Railroad Annual Report.
OMB Control Number: 2140–0009.
Form Number: R1.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than
10.
Estimated Time per Response: As long
as 800 hours, based on information
provided by the railroad industry during
the 1990s. This estimate includes time
spent reviewing instructions; searching
existing data sources; gathering and
maintaining the data needed;
completing and reviewing the collection
of information; and converting the data
from the carrier’s individual accounting
system to the Board’s Uniform System
of Accounts (USOA), which ensures that
the information will be presented in a
consistent format across all reporting
railroads, see 49 U.S.C. 11141–43,
11161–64, 49 CFR 1200–1201. It is
likely that the estimated time to produce
this report is overstated, given the
advances made in computerized data
collection and processing systems.
Frequency of Response: Annual.
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08JAN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 5 / Thursday, January 8, 2009 / Notices
Total Annual Hour Burden: Up to
5,600 hours annually.
Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’
Cost: No ‘‘non-hour cost’’ burdens
associated with this collection have
been identified.
Needs and Uses: Annual reports are
required to be filed by Class I railroads
under 49 U.S.C. 11145. The reports
show operating expenses and operating
statistics of the carriers. Operating
expenses include costs for right-of-way
and structures, equipment, train and
yard operations, and general and
administrative expenses. Operating
statistics include such items as carmiles, revenue-ton-miles, and gross tonmiles. The reports are used by the
Board, other Federal agencies, and
industry groups to monitor and assess
railroad industry growth, financial
stability, traffic, and operations, and to
identify industry changes that may
affect national transportation policy.
Information from this report is also
entered into the Board’s Uniform Rail
Costing System (URCS), which is a cost
measurement methodology. URCS,
which was developed by the Board
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 11161, is used as
a tool in rail rate proceedings, in
accordance with 49 U.S.C. 10707(d), to
calculate the variable costs associated
with providing a particular service. The
Board also uses this information to more
effectively carry out other of its
regulatory responsibilities, including:
Acting on railroad requests for authority
to engage in Board-regulated financial
transactions such as mergers,
acquisitions of control, and
consolidations, see 49 U.S.C. 11323–
11324; analyzing the information that
the Board obtains through the annual
railroad industry waybill sample, see 49
CFR 1244; measuring off-branch costs in
railroad abandonment proceedings, in
accordance with 49 CFR 1152.32(n);
developing the ‘‘rail cost adjustment
factors,’’ in accordance with 49 U.S.C.
10708; and conducting investigations
and rulemakings.
Information from certain schedules
contained in these reports is compiled
and published on the Board’s Web site,
https://www.stb.dot.gov. Information in
these reports is not available from any
other source.
erowe on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Collection Number 2
Title: Quarterly Report of Revenues,
Expenses, and Income—Railroads (Form
RE&I).
OMB Control Number: 2140–0013.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
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13:57 Jan 07, 2009
Jkt 217001
Number of Respondents: Fewer than
10.
Estimated Time per Response: 6
hours.
Frequency of Response: Quarterly.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 168 hours
annually
Total Annual ‘‘Non Hour Burden’’
Cost: No ‘‘non-hour cost’’ burdens
associated with this collection have
been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection is a
report of railroad operating revenues,
operating expenses and income items; it
is a profit and loss statement, disclosing
net railway operating income on a
quarterly and year-to-date basis for the
current and prior years. See 49 CFR
1243.1. The Board uses the information
in this report to ensure competitive,
efficient, and safe transportation
through general oversight programs that
monitor and forecast the financial and
operating condition of railroads, and
through regulation of railroad rate and
service issues and rail restructuring
proposals, including railroad mergers,
consolidations, acquisitions of control,
and abandonments. Information from
these reports is used by the Board, other
Federal agencies, and industry groups to
monitor and assess industry growth and
operations, detect changes in carrier
financial stability, and identify trends
that may affect the national
transportation system. Some of the
information from these reports is
compiled by the Board in our quarterly
Selected Earnings Data Report, which is
published on the Board’s Web site,
https://www.stb.dot.gov. The information
contained in these reports is not
available from any other source.
Collection Number 3
Title: Quarterly Condensed Balance
Sheet—Railroads (Form CBS).
OMB Control Number: 2140–0014.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than
10.
Estimated Time per Response: 6
hours.
Frequency of Response: Quarterly.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 168 hours
annually.
Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’
Cost: No ‘‘non-hour cost’’ burdens
associated with this collection have
been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection
shows the balance (quarterly and
cumulative) for the current and prior
year of the carrier’s assets and liabilities,
gross capital expenditures, and revenue
tons carried. See 49 CFR 1243.2. The
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849
Board uses the information in this
report to ensure competitive, efficient,
and safe transportation through general
oversight programs that monitor and
forecast the financial and operating
condition of railroads, and through
specific regulation of railroad rate and
service issues and rail restructuring
proposals, including railroad mergers,
consolidations, acquisitions of control,
and abandonments. Information from
these reports is used by the Board, other
Federal agencies, and industry groups to
assess industry growth and operations,
detect changes in carrier financial
stability, and identify trends that may
affect the national transportation
system. Revenue ton-miles, which are
reported in these reports, are compiled
and published by the Board in its
quarterly Selected Earnings Data Report,
which is published on the Board’s Web
site, https://www.stb.dot.gov. The
information contained in these reports
is not available from any other source.
Collection Number 4
OMB Control Number: 2140–0004.
Title: Report of Railroad Employees,
Service and Compensation (Wage Forms
A and B).
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than
10.
Estimated Time per Response: As long
as 30 hours per quarterly report and 40
hours per annual summation, based on
information provided by the railroad
industry during the 1990s. Again, it is
likely that the time required to collect
this information is overstated given the
advances made in computerized data
collection and processing systems.
Frequency of Response: Quarterly,
with an annual summation.
Total Annual Hour Burden: Up to
1120 hours annually.
Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’
Cost: No ‘‘non-hour cost’’ burdens
associated with this collection have
been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection
shows the number of employees, service
hours, and compensation, by employee
group (e.g., executive, professional,
maintenance-of-way and equipment,
and transportation), of the reporting
railroads. See 49 CFR 1245. The
information is used by the Board to
forecast labor costs and measure the
efficiency of the reporting railroads. The
information is also used by the Board to
evaluate proposed regulated
transactions that may impact rail
employees, including mergers and
consolidations, acquisitions of control,
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850
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 5 / Thursday, January 8, 2009 / Notices
purchases, and abandonments. Other
Federal agencies and industry groups,
including the Railroad Retirement
Board, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and
Association of American Railroads, use
the information contained in the reports
to monitor railroad operations. Certain
information from these reports is
compiled and published on the Board’s
Web site, https://www.stb.dot.gov. The
information contained in these reports
is not available from any other source.
Collection Number 5
Title: Monthly Report of Number of
Employees of Class I Railroads (Wage
Form C).
OMB Control Number: 2140–0007.
Form Number: STB Form 350.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than
10.
Estimated Time per Response: 1.25
hours.
Frequency of Response: Monthly.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 105 hours
annually
Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’
Cost: No ‘‘non-hour cost’’ burdens
associated with this collection have
been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection
shows, for each reporting carrier, the
average number of employees at midmonth in the six job-classification
groups that encompass all railroad
employees. See 49 CFR 1246. The
information is used by the Board to
forecast labor costs and measure the
efficiency of the reporting railroads. The
information is also used by the Board to
evaluate the impact on rail employees of
proposed regulated transactions,
including mergers and consolidations,
acquisitions of control, purchases, and
abandonments. Other Federal agencies
and industry groups, including the
Railroad Retirement Board, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, and Association of
American Railroads, use the information
contained in these reports to monitor
railroad operations. Certain information
from these reports is compiled and
published on the Board’s Web site,
https://www.stb.dot.gov. The information
contained in these reports is not
available from any other source.
erowe on PROD1PC63 with NOTICES
Collection Number 6
Title: Annual Report of Cars Loaded
and Cars Terminated.
OMB Control Number: 2140–0011.
Form Number: Form STB–54.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than
10.
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13:57 Jan 07, 2009
Jkt 217001
Estimated Time per Response: 4
hours.
Frequency of Response: Annual.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 28 hours
annually.
Total Annual ‘‘Non Hour Burden’’
Cost: No ‘‘non-hour cost’’ burdens
associated with this collection have
been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection
reports the number of cars loaded and
cars terminated on the reporting
carrier’s line. See 49 CFR 1247.
Information in this report is entered into
the Board’s URCS, the uses of which are
explained under Collection Number 1.
There is no other source for the
information contained in this report.
Collection Number 7
OMB Control Number: 2140–0001.
Title: Quarterly Report of Freight
Commodity Statistics (Form QCS).
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than
10.
Estimated Time per Response: 217
hours.
Frequency of Response: Quarterly,
with an annual summation.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 6,076
hours annually.
Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’
Cost: No ‘‘non-hour cost’’ burdens
associated with this collection have
been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection,
which is based on information
contained in carload waybills used by
railroads in the ordinary course of
business, reports car loadings and total
revenues by commodity code for each
commodity that moved on the railroad
during the reporting period. See 49 CFR
1248. Information in this report is
entered into the Board’s URCS, the uses
of which are explained under Collection
Number 1. There is no other source for
the information contained in this report.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the
PRA, a Federal agency conducting or
sponsoring 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 the PRA
and 5 CFR 1320.8, an agency may not
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of
information unless the collection
displays a currently valid OMB control
number. Section 3507(b) of the PRA
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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.
Andrea Pope-Matheson,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. E9–128 Filed 1–7–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[STB Finance Docket No. 35116]
R.J. Corman Railroad Company/
Pennsylvania Lines Inc.—Construction
and Operation Exemption—in
Clearfield County, PA
ACTION: Notice of Intent to Prepare an
Environmental Impact Statement;
Notice of Availability of the Draft Scope
of Study for the Environmental Impact
Statement; Notice of Scoping Meeting;
and Request for Comments on Draft
Scope.
SUMMARY: On May 20, 2008, R.J. Corman
Railroad Company/Pennsylvania Lines
Inc. (RJCP) filed a petition with the
Surface Transportation Board (Board)
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502 for
authority to construct and operate an
abandoned 10.8-mile rail line between
Wallaceton Junction and Winburne in
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania (the
Western Segment) and to rebuild the
track on a connecting 9.3-mile line
between Winburne and Gorton in
Clearfield and Centre Counties,
Pennsylvania (the Eastern Segment) that
is currently being used for interim trail
use, subject to the possible restoration of
rail service (rail banking) pursuant to
the Trails Act, 16 U.S.C. 1247(d). In
total, the proposed project would
involve the construction or rebuilding,
and operation, of approximately 20
miles of the former Beech Creek
Railroad to serve a new quarry, landfill,
and industrial park being developed by
Resource Recovery, LLC, near Gorton,
Pennsylvania.
Because this project has the potential
to result in significant environmental
impacts, the Board’s Section of
Environmental Analysis (SEA) has
determined that the preparation of an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
is appropriate pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
(NEPA), as amended (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.). The purpose of this Notice of
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 5 (Thursday, January 8, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 848-850]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-128]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
30-Day Notice and Request for Comments
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.
ACTION: 30-day notice and request for comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens,
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501
et seq. (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (Board) gives notice
that it is requesting from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) an
extension of approval without change of the seven existing collections
described below.
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.
DATES: Written comments are due on February 9, 2009.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``Paperwork
Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board,'' and should
refer to the title of the specific collection(s) commented upon. These
comments should be directed to the Office of Management and Budget,
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Chandana
Achanta, Surface Transportation Board Desk Officer, by fax at (202)
395-6974; by mail at Room 10235, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC
20503; or at Chandana_L._Achanta@omb.eop.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information or copies
of the information collection(s) contact Scott Decker at (202) 245-0330
or deckers@stb.dot.gov. [Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) for
the hearing impaired: (800) 877-8339.]
Subjects: In this notice the Board is requesting that comments be
sent to OMB on the following information collections:
Collection Number 1
Title: Class I Railroad Annual Report.
OMB Control Number: 2140-0009.
Form Number: R1.
Type of Review: Extension without change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than 10.
Estimated Time per Response: As long as 800 hours, based on
information provided by the railroad industry during the 1990s. This
estimate includes time spent reviewing instructions; searching existing
data sources; gathering and maintaining the data needed; completing and
reviewing the collection of information; and converting the data from
the carrier's individual accounting system to the Board's Uniform
System of Accounts (USOA), which ensures that the information will be
presented in a consistent format across all reporting railroads, see 49
U.S.C. 11141-43, 11161-64, 49 CFR 1200-1201. It is likely that the
estimated time to produce this report is overstated, given the advances
made in computerized data collection and processing systems.
Frequency of Response: Annual.
[[Page 849]]
Total Annual Hour Burden: Up to 5,600 hours annually.
Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: No ``non-hour cost'' burdens
associated with this collection have been identified.
Needs and Uses: Annual reports are required to be filed by Class I
railroads under 49 U.S.C. 11145. The reports show operating expenses
and operating statistics of the carriers. Operating expenses include
costs for right-of-way and structures, equipment, train and yard
operations, and general and administrative expenses. Operating
statistics include such items as car-miles, revenue-ton-miles, and
gross ton-miles. The reports are used by the Board, other Federal
agencies, and industry groups to monitor and assess railroad industry
growth, financial stability, traffic, and operations, and to identify
industry changes that may affect national transportation policy.
Information from this report is also entered into the Board's Uniform
Rail Costing System (URCS), which is a cost measurement methodology.
URCS, which was developed by the Board pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 11161, is
used as a tool in rail rate proceedings, in accordance with 49 U.S.C.
10707(d), to calculate the variable costs associated with providing a
particular service. The Board also uses this information to more
effectively carry out other of its regulatory responsibilities,
including: Acting on railroad requests for authority to engage in
Board-regulated financial transactions such as mergers, acquisitions of
control, and consolidations, see 49 U.S.C. 11323-11324; analyzing the
information that the Board obtains through the annual railroad industry
waybill sample, see 49 CFR 1244; measuring off-branch costs in railroad
abandonment proceedings, in accordance with 49 CFR 1152.32(n);
developing the ``rail cost adjustment factors,'' in accordance with 49
U.S.C. 10708; and conducting investigations and rulemakings.
Information from certain schedules contained in these reports is
compiled and published on the Board's Web site, https://www.stb.dot.gov.
Information in these reports is not available from any other source.
Collection Number 2
Title: Quarterly Report of Revenues, Expenses, and Income--
Railroads (Form RE&I).
OMB Control Number: 2140-0013.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than 10.
Estimated Time per Response: 6 hours.
Frequency of Response: Quarterly.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 168 hours annually
Total Annual ``Non Hour Burden'' Cost: No ``non-hour cost'' burdens
associated with this collection have been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection is a report of railroad operating
revenues, operating expenses and income items; it is a profit and loss
statement, disclosing net railway operating income on a quarterly and
year-to-date basis for the current and prior years. See 49 CFR 1243.1.
The Board uses the information in this report to ensure competitive,
efficient, and safe transportation through general oversight programs
that monitor and forecast the financial and operating condition of
railroads, and through regulation of railroad rate and service issues
and rail restructuring proposals, including railroad mergers,
consolidations, acquisitions of control, and abandonments. Information
from these reports is used by the Board, other Federal agencies, and
industry groups to monitor and assess industry growth and operations,
detect changes in carrier financial stability, and identify trends that
may affect the national transportation system. Some of the information
from these reports is compiled by the Board in our quarterly Selected
Earnings Data Report, which is published on the Board's Web site,
https://www.stb.dot.gov. The information contained in these reports is
not available from any other source.
Collection Number 3
Title: Quarterly Condensed Balance Sheet--Railroads (Form CBS).
OMB Control Number: 2140-0014.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than 10.
Estimated Time per Response: 6 hours.
Frequency of Response: Quarterly.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 168 hours annually.
Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: No ``non-hour cost'' burdens
associated with this collection have been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection shows the balance (quarterly and
cumulative) for the current and prior year of the carrier's assets and
liabilities, gross capital expenditures, and revenue tons carried. See
49 CFR 1243.2. The Board uses the information in this report to ensure
competitive, efficient, and safe transportation through general
oversight programs that monitor and forecast the financial and
operating condition of railroads, and through specific regulation of
railroad rate and service issues and rail restructuring proposals,
including railroad mergers, consolidations, acquisitions of control,
and abandonments. Information from these reports is used by the Board,
other Federal agencies, and industry groups to assess industry growth
and operations, detect changes in carrier financial stability, and
identify trends that may affect the national transportation system.
Revenue ton-miles, which are reported in these reports, are compiled
and published by the Board in its quarterly Selected Earnings Data
Report, which is published on the Board's Web site, https://
www.stb.dot.gov. The information contained in these reports is not
available from any other source.
Collection Number 4
OMB Control Number: 2140-0004.
Title: Report of Railroad Employees, Service and Compensation (Wage
Forms A and B).
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than 10.
Estimated Time per Response: As long as 30 hours per quarterly
report and 40 hours per annual summation, based on information provided
by the railroad industry during the 1990s. Again, it is likely that the
time required to collect this information is overstated given the
advances made in computerized data collection and processing systems.
Frequency of Response: Quarterly, with an annual summation.
Total Annual Hour Burden: Up to 1120 hours annually.
Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: No ``non-hour cost'' burdens
associated with this collection have been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection shows the number of employees,
service hours, and compensation, by employee group (e.g., executive,
professional, maintenance-of-way and equipment, and transportation), of
the reporting railroads. See 49 CFR 1245. The information is used by
the Board to forecast labor costs and measure the efficiency of the
reporting railroads. The information is also used by the Board to
evaluate proposed regulated transactions that may impact rail
employees, including mergers and consolidations, acquisitions of
control,
[[Page 850]]
purchases, and abandonments. Other Federal agencies and industry
groups, including the Railroad Retirement Board, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, and Association of American Railroads, use the information
contained in the reports to monitor railroad operations. Certain
information from these reports is compiled and published on the Board's
Web site, https://www.stb.dot.gov. The information contained in these
reports is not available from any other source.
Collection Number 5
Title: Monthly Report of Number of Employees of Class I Railroads
(Wage Form C).
OMB Control Number: 2140-0007.
Form Number: STB Form 350.
Type of Review: Extension without change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than 10.
Estimated Time per Response: 1.25 hours.
Frequency of Response: Monthly.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 105 hours annually
Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: No ``non-hour cost'' burdens
associated with this collection have been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection shows, for each reporting carrier,
the average number of employees at mid-month in the six job-
classification groups that encompass all railroad employees. See 49 CFR
1246. The information is used by the Board to forecast labor costs and
measure the efficiency of the reporting railroads. The information is
also used by the Board to evaluate the impact on rail employees of
proposed regulated transactions, including mergers and consolidations,
acquisitions of control, purchases, and abandonments. Other Federal
agencies and industry groups, including the Railroad Retirement Board,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Association of American Railroads, use
the information contained in these reports to monitor railroad
operations. Certain information from these reports is compiled and
published on the Board's Web site, https://www.stb.dot.gov. The
information contained in these reports is not available from any other
source.
Collection Number 6
Title: Annual Report of Cars Loaded and Cars Terminated.
OMB Control Number: 2140-0011.
Form Number: Form STB-54.
Type of Review: Extension without change.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than 10.
Estimated Time per Response: 4 hours.
Frequency of Response: Annual.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 28 hours annually.
Total Annual ``Non Hour Burden'' Cost: No ``non-hour cost'' burdens
associated with this collection have been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection reports the number of cars loaded
and cars terminated on the reporting carrier's line. See 49 CFR 1247.
Information in this report is entered into the Board's URCS, the uses
of which are explained under Collection Number 1. There is no other
source for the information contained in this report.
Collection Number 7
OMB Control Number: 2140-0001.
Title: Quarterly Report of Freight Commodity Statistics (Form QCS).
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Fewer than 10.
Estimated Time per Response: 217 hours.
Frequency of Response: Quarterly, with an annual summation.
Total Annual Hour Burden: 6,076 hours annually.
Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: No ``non-hour cost'' burdens
associated with this collection have been identified.
Needs and Uses: This collection, which is based on information
contained in carload waybills used by railroads in the ordinary course
of business, reports car loadings and total revenues by commodity code
for each commodity that moved on the railroad during the reporting
period. See 49 CFR 1248. Information in this report is entered into the
Board's URCS, the uses of which are explained under Collection Number
1. There is no other source for the information contained in this
report.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the PRA, a Federal agency conducting
or sponsoring 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 the PRA and 5 CFR
1320.8, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of information unless the
collection displays a currently valid OMB control number. 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.
Andrea Pope-Matheson,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. E9-128 Filed 1-7-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
