Public Listening Session Regarding CSX Transportation, Inc.'s Rail Service Issues; Joint Petition of Foresight Coal Sales, LLC, Sugar Camp Energy, LLC, Williamson Energy, LLC, and Consolidation Coal Company To Address the Adequacy of CSX Transportation's Coal Transportation Service Originating in the Illinois Basin and Northern Appalachia, 41303-41304 [2017-18399]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 167 / Wednesday, August 30, 2017 / Notices Percent Non-Profit Organizations Without Credit Available Elsewhere ..................................... 2.500 The number assigned to this disaster for physical damage is 15261 6 and for economic injury is 15262 0. The States which received an EIDL Declaration # are Pennsylvania, West Virginia. No. 234 of October 1, 1999, Delegation of Authority No. 236–3 of August 28, 2000 (and, as appropriate, Delegation of Authority No. 257–1 of December 11, 2015). I have ordered that Public Notice of these determinations be published in the Federal Register. Alyson Grunder, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Department of State. [FR Doc. 2017–18385 Filed 8–29–17; 8:45 am] (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 59008) BILLING CODE 4710–05–P Dated: August 23, 2017. Linda E. McMahon, Administrator. DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice: 10108] [FR Doc. 2017–18381 Filed 8–29–17; 8:45 am] Determination Pursuant to Section 7041(a)(3)(B) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2016 BILLING CODE 8025–01–P DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice: 10107] Notice of Determinations; Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: ‘‘Renoir and Friends: Luncheon of the Boating Party’’ Exhibition Notice is hereby given of the following determinations: I hereby determine that certain objects to be included in the exhibition ‘‘Renoir and Friends: Luncheon of the Boating Party,’’ imported from abroad for temporary exhibition within the United States, are of cultural significance. The objects are imported pursuant to loan agreements with the foreign owners or custodians. I also determine that the exhibition or display of the exhibit objects at The Phillips Collection, Washington, District of Columbia, from on or about October 7, 2017, until on or about January 7, 2018, and at possible additional exhibitions or venues yet to be determined, is in the national interest. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information, including a list of the imported objects, contact Elliot Chiu in the Office of the Legal Adviser, U.S. Department of State (telephone: 202– 632–6471; email: section2459@ state.gov). The mailing address is U.S. Department of State, L/PD, SA–5, Suite 5H03, Washington, DC 20522–0505. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The foregoing determinations were made pursuant to the authority vested in me by the Act of October 19, 1965 (79 Stat. 985; 22 U.S.C. 2459), E.O. 12047 of March 27, 1978, the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998 (112 Stat. 2681, et seq.; 22 U.S.C. 6501 note, et seq.), Delegation of Authority mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:40 Aug 29, 2017 Jkt 241001 Pursuant to the Authority vested in me as Secretary of State by section 7041(a)(3)(B) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2016 (Div. K, Pub. L. 114–113) (‘‘the Act’’), I hereby determine that it is important to the national security interest of the United States to waive the certification requirement in section 7041(a)(3)(A) of the Act. I hereby waive that requirement. This determination shall be reported to Congress, along with the accompanying Memorandum of Justification, and published in the Federal Register. Dated: August 22, 2017. Rex W. Tillerson, Secretary of State. [FR Doc. 2017–18395 Filed 8–29–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4710–31–P SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD [Docket No. EP 742; Docket No. EP 741] Public Listening Session Regarding CSX Transportation, Inc.’s Rail Service Issues; Joint Petition of Foresight Coal Sales, LLC, Sugar Camp Energy, LLC, Williamson Energy, LLC, and Consolidation Coal Company To Address the Adequacy of CSX Transportation’s Coal Transportation Service Originating in the Illinois Basin and Northern Appalachia Surface Transportation Board. Notice of public listening AGENCY: ACTION: session. The Surface Transportation Board (Board) will hold a public SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00097 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 41303 listening session on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at its offices in Washington, DC, to hear from CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT), on its efforts to implement its new operating plan and to address service problems on its network, to provide shippers the opportunity to report on recent CSXT rail service issues they have experienced, and to discuss whether additional service recovery efforts may be necessary. DATES: The public listening session will be held on September 12, 2017, beginning at 9:30 a.m., in the Hearing Room at the Board’s headquarters located at 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC. The listening session will be open for public observation. Any person wishing to speak at the listening session shall file with the Board a notice of intent to participate, identifying the party and the proposed speaker, no later than September 7, 2017. The notices of intent to participate are not required to be served on the parties of record; they will be posted to the Board’s Web site when they are filed. ADDRESSES: All filings may be submitted either via the Board’s e-filing format or in the traditional paper format. Any person using e-filing should attach a document and otherwise comply with the instructions at the ‘‘E–FILING’’ link on the Board’s Web site at ‘‘www.stb.gov.’’ Any person submitting a filing in the traditional paper format should send an original and 10 copies of the filing to: Surface Transportation Board, Attn: Docket No. EP 742, 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423– 0001. Copies of written submissions will be posted to the Board’s Web site. Copies of the submissions will also be available (for a fee) by contacting the Board’s Chief Records Officer at (202) 245–0238 or 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423–0001. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy C. Ziehm at (202) 245–0391. Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at (800) 877–8339. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rail network reliability is essential to the Nation’s economy and is the foremost priority of the Board. Since July, the Board has taken a number of actions in response to the service problems resulting from CSXT’s ongoing implementation of a new operating plan and has been closely monitoring CSXT’s performance. In a July 27, 2017 letter, the Board Members requested that CSXT’s senior management participate in weekly calls with the Board’s Rail Customer and Public Assistance (RCPA) E:\FR\FM\30AUN1.SGM 30AUN1 41304 Federal Register / Vol. 82, No. 167 / Wednesday, August 30, 2017 / Notices mstockstill on DSK30JT082PROD with NOTICES staff to discuss the carrier’s efforts to restore reliable service to its shippers.1 In a follow-up August 14, 2017 letter, the Board requested that CSXT submit weekly specific service performance data to facilitate these ongoing calls.2 The performance data, in addition to the data already submitted in U.S. Rail Service Issues—Performance Data Reporting, Docket No. EP 724 (Sub-No. 4), is assisting the Board in actively monitoring CSXT’s service levels and the effectiveness of its recovery efforts. The Board has also been working to ensure that CSXT addresses service issues that shippers inform the Board about as they arise. Representatives of RCPA have held numerous meetings and conference calls with affected parties to better understand the specific problems shippers are experiencing and to help facilitate a swift resolution whenever possible. In monitoring CSXT’s recent problems, the Board has been providing information to all stakeholders in a transparent manner, requesting specific service performance data, and posting that data to the Board’s Web site. RCPA is also having frequent phone conversations with CSXT’s senior management regarding these informal service complaints. CSXT has indicated that its internal metrics are showing that service in some areas is improving and that noticeable improvements should be more evident after Labor Day. Therefore, the Board will hold a public listening session beginning at 9:30 a.m., on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at its offices in Washington, DC, to hear firsthand from CSXT’s senior officials and affected shippers about CSXT’s rail service and efforts to improve service. The Board will direct executive-level officials from CSXT to appear at the listening session to discuss their ongoing and future efforts to improve service and to provide an estimated timeline for recovery of normal service levels. The Board encourages impacted shippers to appear at the public listening session to discuss their service 1 See Letter from Board Members Ann D. Begeman, Daniel R. Elliott III, and Deb Miller, Surface Transportation Board, to E. Hunter Harrison, President and Chief Exec. Officer, CSX Transportation, Inc. (July 27, 2017) (on file with the Board), available at https://www.stb.gov (open tab at ‘‘E-Library, select ‘‘Correspondence’’, select ‘‘NonDocketed Public Correspondence’’, follow ‘‘07/27/ 2017’’ hyperlink). 2 See Letter from Board Members Ann D. Begeman, Daniel R. Elliott III, and Deb Miller, Surface Transportation Board, to E. Hunter Harrison, President and Chief Exec. Officer, CSX Transportation, Inc. (Aug. 14, 2017) (on file with the Board), available at https://www.stb.gov (open tab at ‘‘E-Library, select ‘‘Correspondence’’, select ‘‘Non-Docketed Public Correspondence’’, follow ‘‘08/14/2017’’ hyperlink). VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:40 Aug 29, 2017 Jkt 241001 concerns and comment on the railroad’s service recovery efforts. The Board’s listening session is not intended to replace the data collection or the informal and confidential dispute resolution process facilitated by RCPA, and stakeholders who do not have formal complaints pending (discussed below) are encouraged to continue communicating through that office. Additionally, in the past two weeks, some CSXT shippers have filed formal complaints against CSXT seeking service-related injunctive relief and/or money damages (Docket Nos. NOR 42154, NOR 42155, and NOR 42156); a petition to institute a proceeding to address the adequacy of CSXT’s service (Docket No. EP 741); and a request for an emergency service order (by letter addressed to the Board Members).3 The Board believes that the concerns raised in the petition in Docket No. EP 741 are best addressed in this docket, as well as through the Board’s other ongoing efforts; accordingly, we will deny the petition in EP 741 to institute a proceeding as unnecessary, but without prejudice to taking more formal action at a later time, if appropriate. In the meantime, the Board will continue to address these important service reliability issues in a transparent manner to ensure shippers, carriers, and all interested stakeholders are fully informed about the Board’s work. It is ordered: 1. A public listening session will be held on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at 9:30 a.m., in the Board’s Hearing Room, at 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC, as described above. 2. CSXT is directed to appear at the listening session through executivelevel officials. 3. By September 7, 2017, any person wishing to speak at the listening session shall file with the Board a notice of intent to participate (identifying the party and the proposed speaker). The notices of intent to participate need not be served on the parties of record; they will be posted to the Board’s Web site when they are filed. 4. The petition to institute a proceeding in Docket No. EP 741 is denied without prejudice. 5. This decision is effective on its service date. Decided: August 24, 2017. By the Board, Board Members Begeman, Elliott, and Miller. Rena Laws-Byrum, Clearance Clerk. [FR Doc. 2017–18399 Filed 8–29–17; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 3 That letter shortly will be posted as a filing on the Board’s Web site under Docket No. EP 742. PO 00000 Frm 00098 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration [Docket No.: FAA–2016–4756] Reduction of Remote Communications Outlets Used by Flight Service Stations in the Conterminous United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of final policy. AGENCY: This action sets forth the final policy determination for the FAA’s proposed plan to decommission remote communications outlets (RCO) used by Flight Service Stations in the conterminous United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. Based on comments, the FAA has decreased the number of RCOs planned for decommissioning from 666 to 641, which includes 404 RCOs and 237 VOR outlets. DATES: Applicable: August 30, 2017. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Teri Bristol, ATO Chief Operating Officer, Office of the Administrator, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 267–1240. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SUMMARY: Background The FAA maintains a network of over 2,100 remote communications outlets (RCOs) throughout the conterminous United States, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The RCOs are used by a contract service provider to communicate with pilots in flight. By using these frequencies, pilots can obtain weather briefings and file flight plans and receive numerous other services. On April 28, 2016, the FAA published a notice of proposed policy outlining the plan to reduce the number of radio frequencies used by Flight Service Stations to communicate with aircraft in flight (81 FR 25484). The FAA noted that a network of 1,223 RCOs and 398 VOR frequencies cover a vast majority of the conterminous United States and include duplicate, overlapping, and seldom used frequencies. Based on a study conducted by MITRE, the FAA proposed a policy to decommission 666 RCOs in the conterminous United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.1 The FAA estimated that, by reducing radio coverage, the agency could save approximately $2.5 million annually in 1 The FAA noted that the following frequencies would not be considered for decommissioning: frequencies for emergency use only; frequencies for military use only, frequencies in the State of Alaska, and Ground Communications Outlets. E:\FR\FM\30AUN1.SGM 30AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 167 (Wednesday, August 30, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41303-41304]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-18399]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. EP 742; Docket No. EP 741]


Public Listening Session Regarding CSX Transportation, Inc.'s 
Rail Service Issues; Joint Petition of Foresight Coal Sales, LLC, Sugar 
Camp Energy, LLC, Williamson Energy, LLC, and Consolidation Coal 
Company To Address the Adequacy of CSX Transportation's Coal 
Transportation Service Originating in the Illinois Basin and Northern 
Appalachia

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice of public listening session.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board (Board) will hold a public 
listening session on Tuesday, September 12, 2017, at its offices in 
Washington, DC, to hear from CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT), on its 
efforts to implement its new operating plan and to address service 
problems on its network, to provide shippers the opportunity to report 
on recent CSXT rail service issues they have experienced, and to 
discuss whether additional service recovery efforts may be necessary.

DATES: The public listening session will be held on September 12, 2017, 
beginning at 9:30 a.m., in the Hearing Room at the Board's headquarters 
located at 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC. The listening session will 
be open for public observation. Any person wishing to speak at the 
listening session shall file with the Board a notice of intent to 
participate, identifying the party and the proposed speaker, no later 
than September 7, 2017. The notices of intent to participate are not 
required to be served on the parties of record; they will be posted to 
the Board's Web site when they are filed.

ADDRESSES: All filings may be submitted either via the Board's e-filing 
format or in the traditional paper format. Any person using e-filing 
should attach a document and otherwise comply with the instructions at 
the ``E-FILING'' link on the Board's Web site at ``www.stb.gov.'' Any 
person submitting a filing in the traditional paper format should send 
an original and 10 copies of the filing to: Surface Transportation 
Board, Attn: Docket No. EP 742, 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-
0001.
    Copies of written submissions will be posted to the Board's Web 
site. Copies of the submissions will also be available (for a fee) by 
contacting the Board's Chief Records Officer at (202) 245-0238 or 395 E 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy C. Ziehm at (202) 245-0391. 
Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at (800) 877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rail network reliability is essential to the 
Nation's economy and is the foremost priority of the Board. Since July, 
the Board has taken a number of actions in response to the service 
problems resulting from CSXT's ongoing implementation of a new 
operating plan and has been closely monitoring CSXT's performance. In a 
July 27, 2017 letter, the Board Members requested that CSXT's senior 
management participate in weekly calls with the Board's Rail Customer 
and Public Assistance (RCPA)

[[Page 41304]]

staff to discuss the carrier's efforts to restore reliable service to 
its shippers.\1\ In a follow-up August 14, 2017 letter, the Board 
requested that CSXT submit weekly specific service performance data to 
facilitate these ongoing calls.\2\ The performance data, in addition to 
the data already submitted in U.S. Rail Service Issues--Performance 
Data Reporting, Docket No. EP 724 (Sub-No. 4), is assisting the Board 
in actively monitoring CSXT's service levels and the effectiveness of 
its recovery efforts.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Letter from Board Members Ann D. Begeman, Daniel R. 
Elliott III, and Deb Miller, Surface Transportation Board, to E. 
Hunter Harrison, President and Chief Exec. Officer, CSX 
Transportation, Inc. (July 27, 2017) (on file with the Board), 
available at https://www.stb.gov (open tab at ``E-Library, select 
``Correspondence'', select ``Non-Docketed Public Correspondence'', 
follow ``07/27/2017'' hyperlink).
    \2\ See Letter from Board Members Ann D. Begeman, Daniel R. 
Elliott III, and Deb Miller, Surface Transportation Board, to E. 
Hunter Harrison, President and Chief Exec. Officer, CSX 
Transportation, Inc. (Aug. 14, 2017) (on file with the Board), 
available at https://www.stb.gov (open tab at ``E-Library, select 
``Correspondence'', select ``Non-Docketed Public Correspondence'', 
follow ``08/14/2017'' hyperlink).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Board has also been working to ensure that CSXT addresses 
service issues that shippers inform the Board about as they arise. 
Representatives of RCPA have held numerous meetings and conference 
calls with affected parties to better understand the specific problems 
shippers are experiencing and to help facilitate a swift resolution 
whenever possible. In monitoring CSXT's recent problems, the Board has 
been providing information to all stakeholders in a transparent manner, 
requesting specific service performance data, and posting that data to 
the Board's Web site. RCPA is also having frequent phone conversations 
with CSXT's senior management regarding these informal service 
complaints.
    CSXT has indicated that its internal metrics are showing that 
service in some areas is improving and that noticeable improvements 
should be more evident after Labor Day. Therefore, the Board will hold 
a public listening session beginning at 9:30 a.m., on Tuesday, 
September 12, 2017, at its offices in Washington, DC, to hear firsthand 
from CSXT's senior officials and affected shippers about CSXT's rail 
service and efforts to improve service.
    The Board will direct executive-level officials from CSXT to appear 
at the listening session to discuss their ongoing and future efforts to 
improve service and to provide an estimated timeline for recovery of 
normal service levels. The Board encourages impacted shippers to appear 
at the public listening session to discuss their service concerns and 
comment on the railroad's service recovery efforts. The Board's 
listening session is not intended to replace the data collection or the 
informal and confidential dispute resolution process facilitated by 
RCPA, and stakeholders who do not have formal complaints pending 
(discussed below) are encouraged to continue communicating through that 
office.
    Additionally, in the past two weeks, some CSXT shippers have filed 
formal complaints against CSXT seeking service-related injunctive 
relief and/or money damages (Docket Nos. NOR 42154, NOR 42155, and NOR 
42156); a petition to institute a proceeding to address the adequacy of 
CSXT's service (Docket No. EP 741); and a request for an emergency 
service order (by letter addressed to the Board Members).\3\ The Board 
believes that the concerns raised in the petition in Docket No. EP 741 
are best addressed in this docket, as well as through the Board's other 
ongoing efforts; accordingly, we will deny the petition in EP 741 to 
institute a proceeding as unnecessary, but without prejudice to taking 
more formal action at a later time, if appropriate. In the meantime, 
the Board will continue to address these important service reliability 
issues in a transparent manner to ensure shippers, carriers, and all 
interested stakeholders are fully informed about the Board's work.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ That letter shortly will be posted as a filing on the 
Board's Web site under Docket No. EP 742.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    It is ordered:
    1. A public listening session will be held on Tuesday, September 
12, 2017, at 9:30 a.m., in the Board's Hearing Room, at 395 E Street 
SW., Washington, DC, as described above.
    2. CSXT is directed to appear at the listening session through 
executive-level officials.
    3. By September 7, 2017, any person wishing to speak at the 
listening session shall file with the Board a notice of intent to 
participate (identifying the party and the proposed speaker). The 
notices of intent to participate need not be served on the parties of 
record; they will be posted to the Board's Web site when they are 
filed.
    4. The petition to institute a proceeding in Docket No. EP 741 is 
denied without prejudice.
    5. This decision is effective on its service date.

    Decided: August 24, 2017.

    By the Board, Board Members Begeman, Elliott, and Miller.
Rena Laws-Byrum,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2017-18399 Filed 8-29-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
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