The Surface Transportation Board
(Board) seeks modification and extension of existing approval for
information collections requiring certain large railroads to
publicly file various data reports pertaining to service
performance, primarily on a quarterly and weekly basis. This
information is intended to give both the Board and its stakeholders
access to near real-time information about the operations and
performance of the Class I railroads (including the fluidity of the
Chicago gateway) and is expected to assist rail shippers in making
logistics decisions, planning operations and production, and
mitigating losses during times of challenging railroad operating
environment. It allows the Board to better understand current
service issues and potentially to identify and resolve possible
future regional and national service disruptions more quickly. This
information would be published on the Board's website for the
benefit of the Board, carriers, shippers, and the general public.
The modification request is for the NPRM amending the Board's
railroad performance data reporting regulations to include chemical
and plastics traffic as a distinct reporting category for the
“cars-held” metric. This is a limited modification.
This collection expires
on 6/30/2020. I am unclear why it is requiring me to choose
Emergency filing. This is a final rule that was expected to go out
sooner, but is still more than 40 days from expiration.
US Code:
49
USC 721 Name of Law: Administrative Powers
US Code: 49
USC 11145 Name of Law: Reports by Rail Carriers
This modification request stems
from the Board’s proposed rule in Pet. for Rulemaking to Amend 49
C.F.R. Part 1250 (NPRM), EP 724 (Sub-No. 5) (STB served Sept. 30,
2019) (84 Fed. Reg. 53375). In the NPRM, the Board proposed, at the
request of parties, clarification and amendment to the performance
data reporting regulations to include chemical and plastics (STCC
28, except fertilizer) traffic as a distinct reporting category for
the cars-held metric at 49 C.F.R. § 1250.2(a)(6). The final rule
maintains the same limited modification as the NPRM and is expected
to provide increased transparency. Pet. for Rulemaking to Amend 49
C.F.R. Part 1250, EP 724 (Sub-No. 5) (STB served May 14, 2020) (85
Fed. Reg. 30849) (published May 21, 2020).
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.