Surface Transportation Board April 8, 2011 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3519 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) has submitted a request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an reinstatement of approval for the collection of agreements containing rail-interchange commitments. A rail interchange commitment is a contractual provision, which may be included with a sale or lease of a rail line, that limits the incentive or the ability of the purchaser or tenant carrier to interchange traffic with rail carriers other than the seller or lessor railroad. Under the Board's regulations, whenever a carrier or other person seeks authority, through the Board's abbreviated exemption procedures, to acquire (through sale or lease) or to operate a rail line, that carrier or other person is required to submit a copy of any agreement that contains such an interchange commitment. The Board previously published a notice about this collection in the Federal Register on December 22, 2010, at 75 FR 80,569. That notice allowed for a 60-day public review and comment period. No comments were received. This collection is described in detail below. Comments may now be submitted to OMB 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 this collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Board, including whether the collection has practical utility.