Surface Transportation Board March 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Board, under 49 U.S.C. 10502, revokes the class exemption as it pertains to the modified trackage rights described in STB Finance Docket No. 34554 (Sub-No. 4) \1\ to permit the trackage rights to expire on or about December 31, 2006, in accordance with the agreement of the parties,\2\ subject to the employee protective conditions set forth in Oregon Short Line R. Co.AbandonmentGoshen, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979).

The Board adopts its 2006 User Fee Update and revises its fee schedule to recover the costs associated with the January 2006 Government salary increases and to reflect changes in overhead costs to the Board.

The Surface Transportation Board (Board) will hold a public hearing beginning at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 11, 2006, at its offices in Washington, DC, to provide interested persons an opportunity to express their views on the subject of fuel surcharges collected by railroads. Persons wishing to speak at the hearing should notify the Board in writing.

The Surface Transportation Board, having assessed its procedures for transactions qualifying for the 7- and 21-day class exemptions proposes to modify the timeframes in its rules to provide greater public notice in advance of an exempt transaction. The proposed changes are intended to ensure that the public is given notice of a proposed transaction before the exemption becomes effective; and that the Board may process such notices of exemption, and related petitions for stay, if any, in an orderly and timely fashion.

The Surface Transportation Board has instituted a proceeding to seek public comments on proposed changes to its stand-alone cost methodology, on whether to continue to permit movement-specific adjustments to its Uniform Railroad Costing System in rail rate reasonableness cases, and on the proper standards for reopening and vacating a prior rate decision that is based upon a stand-alone cost analysis. These changes are intended to resolve major issues common to all rail rate complaints seeking relief under the agency's stand-alone cost test.