30-Day Federal Register Notice

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 17, 2014 / Notices

postcard, or print the acknowledgement
page that appears after submitting
comments online.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Richard Clemente, FMCSA Driver and
Carrier Operations Division; Office of
Carrier, Driver and Vehicle Safety
Standards; Telephone: 202–366–4325.
Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

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Background
FMCSA has authority under 49 U.S.C.
31136(e) and 31315 to grant exemptions
from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Regulations. FMCSA must publish a
notice of each exemption request in the
Federal Register (49 CFR 381.315(a)).
The Agency must provide the public an
opportunity to inspect the information
relevant to the application, including
any safety analyses that have been
conducted. The Agency must also
provide an opportunity for public
comment on the request.
The Agency reviews the safety
analyses and the public comments, and
determines whether granting the
exemption would likely achieve a level
of safety equivalent to, or greater than,
the level that would be achieved by the
current regulation (49 CFR 381.305).
The decision of the Agency must be
published in the Federal Register (49
CFR 381.315(b)) with the reason for
granting or denying the exemption, and,
if granted, the specific person or class of
persons receiving the exemption, and
the regulatory provision or provisions
from which exemption is granted. The
notice must specify the effective period
of the exemption (up to 2 years), and
explain the terms and conditions of the
exemption. The exemption may be
renewed (49 CFR 381.300(b)).
Since 2012, FMCSA has granted four
Daimler drivers similar exemptions
[May 25, 2012 (77 FR 31422); July 22,
2014 (79 FR 42626); August 29, 2014 (79
FR 51641)]. Each of these drivers held
a valid German CDL but lacked the U.S.
residency required to obtain a CDL.
FMCSA has concluded that the process
for obtaining a German CDL is
comparable to or as effective as the U.S.
CDL requirements and ensures that
these drivers will likely achieve a level
of safety equivalent to or greater than
the level that would be obtained in the
absence of the exemption.
Request for Exemption
Daimler has applied for an exemption
for one of its engineers from 49 CFR
383.23, which prescribes licensing
requirements for drivers operating
CMVs in interstate or intrastate
commerce. This driver, Martin

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Zeilinger, holds a valid German CDL but
is unable to obtain a CDL in any of the
U.S. States due to residency
requirements. A copy of the application
is in Docket No. FMCSA–2012–0032.
The exemption would allow Mr.
Zeilinger to operate CMVs in interstate
or intrastate commerce to support
Daimler field tests designed to meet
future vehicle safety and environmental
requirements and to develop improved
safety and emission technologies.
According to Daimler, Mr. Zeilinger will
typically drive for no more than 6 hours
per day for 2 consecutive days, and 10
percent of the test driving will be on
two-lane State highways, while 90
percent will be on interstate highways.
The driving will consist of no more than
200 miles per day, for a total of 400
miles during a two-day period on a
quarterly basis. He will in all cases be
accompanied by a holder of a U.S. CDL
who is familiar with the routes to be
traveled. Daimler requests that the
exemption cover a two-year period.
FMCSA has determined that the
process for obtaining a German CDL is
comparable to the Federal requirements
of 49 CFR part 383 and adequately
assesses a driver’s ability to operate
CMVs in the United States.
Request for Comments
In accordance with 49 U.S.C.
31315(b)(4) and 31136(e), FMCSA
requests public comment on Daimler’s
application for an exemption from the
CDL requirements of 49 CFR 383.23.
The Agency will consider all comments
received by close of business on January
16, 2015. Comments will be available
for examination in the docket at the
location listed under the ADDRESSES
section of this notice. The Agency will
consider to the extent practicable
comments received in the public docket
after the closing date of the comment
period.
Issued on: December 4, 2014.
Larry W. Minor,
Associate Administrator for Policy.
[FR Doc. 2014–29067 Filed 12–16–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–EX–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Maritime Administration
[Docket No. DOT–MARAD–2014–0156]

Request for Comments on a New
Information Collection
Maritime Administration, DOT.
Notice and request for
comments.

AGENCY:
ACTION:

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In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), this notice
announces that the Information
Collection Request (ICR) abstracted
below is being forwarded to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and comments. A Federal
Register Notice with a 60-day comment
period soliciting comments on the
following information collection was
published on September 23, 2014 (79 FR
56849).
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before January 16, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Nuns Jain, Program Excellence &
Quality Assurance Group (MAR–600.6),
Maritime Administration, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 7737
Hampton Boulevard, Building 19, Suite
300, Norfolk, VA 23505, (757) 322–5801
or Email: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Quarterly Readiness Reporting
of Strategic Seaport Facilities.
OMB Control Number: 2133—NEW.
Type of Request: New Information
Collection.
Abstract: Pursuant to the Defense
Production Act of 1950, as amended
(Pub. L. 111–67), EO 13603, E.O. 12656
and 46 CFR part 340, MARAD works
with the DoD to ensure national defense
preparedness. Accordingly, MARAD
issues a pre-emergency Port Planning
Order (PPO) to each Department of
Defense (DoD) designated strategic
commercial seaport in order to provide
the DoD port facilities in support of
military deployments during national
emergencies. The proposed collection of
quarterly information is necessary to
validate each port’s ability to provide
the PPO delineated facilities to the DoD
within the PPO delineated time frame.
In a February 2, 2014 report entitled
STRATEGIC SEAPORTS: Opportunities
Exist to Improve Interagency
Coordination, Readiness Reporting, and
Port Preparedness, the Government
Accounting Office (GAO) recommended
that MARAD collect DoD required
readiness data from the strategic
commercial ports. This information will
be used by MARAD to assist DoD in
establishing overall contingency plans
necessary to meet national emergency
preparedness requirements.
Affected Public: Strategic Commercial
Seaports with MARAD Port Planning
Orders.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
16.
Estimated Number of Responses: 64.
Annual Estimated Total Annual
Burden Hours: 64.
Frequency of Collection: Quarterly.
SUMMARY:

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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 242 / Wednesday, December 17, 2014 / Notices
Send comments regarding
the burden estimate, including
suggestions for reducing the burden, to
the Office of Management and Budget,
Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of
the Secretary of Transportation, 725
17th Street NW., Washington, DC 20503.
Comments are invited on: Whether
the proposed collection of information
is necessary for the proper performance
of the functions of the Department,
including whether the information will
have practical utility; the accuracy of
the Department’s estimate of the burden
of the proposed information collection;
ways to enhance the quality, utility and
clarity of the information to be
collected; and ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on respondents, including the use of
automated collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.

ADDRESSES:

Authority: The Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995; 44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, as amended;
and 49 CFR 1:93.
Dated: December 11, 2014.
Julie P. Agarwal,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 2014–29468 Filed 12–16–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–81–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[Docket No. FD 35882]

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Watco Holdings, Inc.—Continuance in
Control Exemption—Bogalusa Bayou
Railroad, L.L.C.
Watco Holdings, Inc. (Watco), a
noncarrier, has filed a verified notice of
exemption pursuant to 49 CFR
1180.2(d)(2) to continue in control of
Bogalusa Bayou Railroad, L.L.C. (BBRR),
upon BBRR’s becoming a Class III rail
carrier. Watco owns, indirectly, 100
percent of the issued and outstanding
stock of BBRR, a limited liability
company.
This transaction is related to a
concurrently filed verified notice of
exemption in Bogalusa Bayou
Railroad—Acquisition of Trackage
Rights Exemption Containing
Interchange Commitment—Illinois
Central Railroad, Docket No. FD 35880,
wherein BBRR seeks Board approval to
acquire overhead trackage rights over a
one-mile rail line owned by Illinois
Central Railroad Company extending
between milepost 68.85, at Leescreek,
La., and milepost 69.85, at Bogalusa, La.
The transaction may be consummated
on or after December 31, 2014, the
effective date of the exemption (30 days

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after the verified notice of exemption
was filed).
Watco currently controls, indirectly,
one Class II rail carrier that operates in
two states and 29 Class III rail carriers
that collectively operate in 20 states. For
a complete list of these rail carriers, and
the states in which they operate, see
Watco’s verified notice of exemption
filed on December 1, 2014. The verified
notice is available on the Board’s Web
site at WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.
Watco represents that: (1) The rail
lines to be operated by BBRR do not
connect with any of the rail lines
operated by the carriers in the Watco
corporate family; (2) the transaction is
not a part of a series of anticipated
transactions that would result in such a
connection; and (3) the transaction does
not involve a Class I carrier. Therefore,
the transaction is exempt from the prior
approval requirements of 49 U.S.C.
11323. See 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(2).
Watco states that the purpose of the
transaction is to reduce overhead
expenses, coordinate billing,
maintenance, mechanical, and
personnel policies and practices of its
rail carrier subsidiaries, and thereby
improve the overall efficiency of rail
service provided by the railroads in the
Watco corporate family.
Under 49 U.S.C. 10502(g), the Board
may not use its exemption authority to
relieve a rail carrier of its statutory
obligation to protect the interests of its
employees. Because the transaction
involves the control of one Class II and
one or more Class III rail carriers, the
transaction is subject to the labor
protection requirements of 49 U.S.C.
11326(b) and Wisconsin Central Ltd.—
Acquisition Exemption—Lines of Union
Pacific Railroad, 2 S.T.B. 218 (1997).
If the verified notice contains false or
misleading information, the exemption
is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the
exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d)
may be filed at any time. The filing of
a petition to revoke will not
automatically stay the effectiveness of
the exemption. Petitions for stay must
be filed by December 24, 2014 (at least
seven days before the exemption
becomes effective).
An original and 10 copies of all
pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD
35882, must be filed with the Surface
Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20423–0001. In
addition, a copy of each pleading must
be served on Karl Morell, Ball Janik
LLP, 655 Fifteenth Street NW., Suite
225, Washington, DC 20005.
Board decisions and notices are
available on our Web site at
WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.
Decided: December 12, 2014.

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75231

By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell,
Director, Office of Proceedings.
Brendetta S. Jones,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2014–29550 Filed 12–16–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[Docket No. FD 35880]

Bogalusa Bayou Railroad, L.L.C.—
Acquisition of Trackage Rights
Exemption Containing Interchange
Commitment—Illinois Central Railroad
Company
Bogalusa Bayou Railroad, L.L.C.
(BBRR),1 a noncarrier, has filed a
verified notice of exemption under 49
CFR 1150.31 to acquire overhead
trackage rights over a one-mile rail line
owned by Illinois Central Railroad
Company (IC) extending between
milepost 68.85, at Leescreek, La., and
milepost 69.85, at Bogalusa, La.,
pursuant to an agreement between
BBRR and IC.
This transaction is related to a
concurrently filed verified notice of
exemption in Watco Holdings, Inc.—
Continuance in Control Exemption—
Bogalusa Bayou Railroad, Docket No.
FD 35882, wherein Watco Holdings,
Inc., seeks Board approval under 49 CFR
1180.2(d)(2) to continue in control of
BBRR, upon BBRR’s becoming a Class
III rail carrier.
BBRR states that the agreement
precludes BBRR from interchanging
traffic with a third party. As required
under 49 CFR 1150.33(h)(1), BBRR has
provided additional information
concerning the interchange
commitment.
BBRR has certified that its projected
annual revenues as a result of this
transaction will not result in BBRR’s
becoming a Class II or Class I rail carrier
and will not exceed $5 million.
This transaction may be
consummated on or after December 31,
2014, the effective date of the exemption
(30 days after the verified notice of
exemption was filed).
If the verified notice contains false or
misleading information, the exemption
is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the
exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d)
may be filed at any time. The filing of
a petition to revoke will not
automatically stay the effectiveness of
the exemption. Petitions for stay must
be filed no later than December 24, 2014
1 BBRR is a wholly owned subsidiary of Watco
Holdings, Inc.

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