81 FR 70478 - 30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval: Rail Depreciation Studies

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 197 (October 12, 2016)

Page Range		70478-70479
FR Document		2016-24616

As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501-3521 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives notice of its intent to seek approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an extension of the collection of Rail Depreciation Studies. This information collection is described in detail below. The Board previously published a notice about this collection in the Federal Register. 81 FR 26,304 (May 2, 2016). That notice allowed for a 60-day public review and comment period. No comments were received.

Federal Register, Volume 81 Issue 197 (Wednesday, October 12, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 197 (Wednesday, October 12, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70478-70479]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-24616]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD


30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval: Rail 
Depreciation Studies

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 
3501-3521 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (STB or Board) gives 
notice of its intent to seek approval from the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) for an extension of the collection of Rail Depreciation 
Studies. This information collection is described in detail below. The 
Board previously published a notice about this collection in the 
Federal Register. 81 FR 26,304 (May 2, 2016). That notice allowed for a 
60-day public review and comment period. No comments were received.

DATES: Comments on this information collection should be submitted by 
November 14, 2016.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be identified as ``Paperwork 
Reduction Act Comments, Surface Transportation Board: Rail Depreciation 
Studies.'' These comments should be directed to the Office of 
Management and Budget, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, 
Attention: Chandana L. Achanta, Surface Transportation Board Desk 
Officer, by email at [email protected]; by fax at (202) 395-
6974; or by mail to Room 10235, 725 17th Street NW., Washington, DC 
20503. Please also direct comments to Chris Oehrle, Surface 
Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, or 
to [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding this 
collection, contact Michael Higgins, Deputy Director, Office of Public 
Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245-0284 or 
at [email protected]. [Assistance for the hearing impaired is available 
through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are requested 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 
the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance 
of the functions of the Board, including whether the collection has 
practical utility. Submitted comments will be summarized and included 
in the Board's request for OMB approval.

Description of Collection

    Title: Rail Depreciation Studies.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0028.
    STB Form Number: None.
    Type of Review: Extension with change.
    Respondents: Class 1 railroads.
    Number of Respondents: Seven.
    Frequency: On occasion. (Under 49 CFR part 1201, 4-1 to 4-4, the 
Board requires all Class 1 (large) carriers to submit rail depreciation 
studies no less than every three years for equipment property and every 
six years for road and track property. That means that for any given 
six-year period the Class 1 railroads have to submit no less than three 
depreciation reports or the equivalent of 0.5 depreciation reports per 
year.)
    Total Burden Hours: 3,500 hours (500 hours x 7 Class 1 railroads).
    Total Annual ``Non-hour Burden'' Cost: Approximately $262,500 per 
year. Board staff estimates that each study will cost between $50,000 
and $100,000, which equals a cost of approximately $25,000-$50,000 per 
year. Using an average cost ($37,500 per year x 7 Class 1 railroads), 
the non-hour burden cost is estimated to be approximately $262,500 per 
year.
    Needs and Uses: Under 49 CFR part 1201, 4-1 to 4-4, the Board is 
required to identify those classes of property for which rail carriers 
may include depreciation charges under operating expenses, and the 
Board must also prescribe a rate of depreciation that may be charged to 
those classes of property. Pursuant to the Board's authority under 49 
U.S.C. 11145, Class 1 rail carriers are required to submit Rail 
Depreciation Studies to the Board. Information in these studies is not 
available from any other source. The Board uses the information in 
these studies to prescribe depreciation rates. These depreciation rate 
prescriptions state the period for which the depreciation rates therein 
are applicable. Class 1 railroads apply the prescribed depreciation 
rates to their investment base to determine monthly and annual 
depreciation expense. This expense is included in the railroads' 
operating expenses, which are reported in their R-1 reports (OMB 
Control Number 2140-0009). Operating expenses are used to develop 
operating costs for application in various proceedings before the 
Board, such as in rate reasonableness cases and in the determination of 
railroad revenue adequacy.
    Under the PRA, a Federal agency conducting or sponsoring a 
collection of information must display a currently valid OMB control 
number. A collection of information, which is defined in 44 U.S.C. 
3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c), includes agency requirements that persons 
submit reports, keep records, or provide information to the agency, 
third parties, or the public. Section 3507(b) of the PRA requires, 
concurrent with an agency's submitting a collection to OMB for 
approval, a 30-day notice and comment period through publication in the 
Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, 
including each proposed extension of an existing collection of 
information.


[[Page 70479]]


    Dated: October 6, 2016.
Brendetta S. Jones,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2016-24616 Filed 10-11-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P

70478 Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 197 / Wednesday, October 12, 2016 / Notices

Needs and Uses: Under 49 CFR public review and comment period. No any given six-year period the Class 1
1152.10–1152.13, all railroads subject to comments were received. railroads have to submit no less than
the Board’s jurisdiction are required to DATES: Comments on this information three depreciation reports or the
keep current system diagram maps on collection should be submitted by equivalent of 0.5 depreciation reports
file, or alternatively, in the case of a November 14, 2016. per year.)
Class III carrier (a carrier with assets of ADDRESSES: Written comments should Total Burden Hours: 3,500 hours (500
not more than $38,060,384 in 2014 be identified as ‘‘Paperwork Reduction hours × 7 Class 1 railroads).
dollars), to submit the same information Act Comments, Surface Transportation
in narrative form. The information Total Annual ‘‘Non-hour Burden’’
Board: Rail Depreciation Studies.’’ Cost: Approximately $262,500 per year.
sought in this collection identifies lines These comments should be directed to
in a particular railroad’s system, Board staff estimates that each study
the Office of Management and Budget, will cost between $50,000 and $100,000,
categorized to indicate the likelihood Office of Information and Regulatory
that service on a particular line will be which equals a cost of approximately
Affairs, Attention: Chandana L. $25,000–$50,000 per year. Using an
abandoned and/or whether service on a Achanta, Surface Transportation Board
line is currently provided under the average cost ($37,500 per year × 7 Class
Desk Officer, by email at OIRA_ 1 railroads), the non-hour burden cost is
financial assistance provisions of 49 SUBMISSION@OMB.EOP.GOV; by fax at
U.S.C. 10904. Carriers are obligated to estimated to be approximately $262,500
(202) 395–6974; or by mail to Room per year.
amend these maps as the need to change 10235, 725 17th Street NW.,
the category of any particular line arises. Washington, DC 20503. Please also Needs and Uses: Under 49 CFR part
Under the PRA, a federal agency that direct comments to Chris Oehrle, 1201, 4–1 to 4–4, the Board is required
conducts or sponsors a collection of Surface Transportation Board, 395 E to identify those classes of property for
information must display a currently Street SW., Washington, DC 20423– which rail carriers may include
valid OMB control number. A collection 0001, or to PRA@stb.gov. depreciation charges under operating
of information, which is defined in 44 expenses, and the Board must also
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c), prescribe a rate of depreciation that may
further information regarding this be charged to those classes of property.
includes agency requirements that collection, contact Michael Higgins,
persons submit reports, keep records, or Pursuant to the Board’s authority under
Deputy Director, Office of Public 49 U.S.C. 11145, Class 1 rail carriers are
provide information to the agency, third Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and
parties, or the public. Under section required to submit Rail Depreciation
Compliance at (202) 245–0284 or at Studies to the Board. Information in
3507(b) of the PRA, federal agencies are higginsm@stb.gov. [Assistance for the
required to provide, prior to an agency’s these studies is not available from any
hearing impaired is available through other source. The Board uses the
submitting a collection to OMB for the Federal Information Relay Service
approval, a 30-day notice and comment information in these studies to prescribe
(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339.] depreciation rates. These depreciation
period through publication in the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments rate prescriptions state the period for
Federal Register concerning each
proposed collection of information, are requested concerning: (1) The which the depreciation rates therein are
including each proposed extension of an accuracy of the Board’s burden applicable. Class 1 railroads apply the
existing collection of information. estimates; (2) ways to enhance the prescribed depreciation rates to their
quality, utility, and clarity of the investment base to determine monthly
Dated: October 6, 2016. information collected; (3) ways to and annual depreciation expense. This
Brendetta S. Jones, minimize the burden of the collection of expense is included in the railroads’
Clearance Clerk. information on the respondents, operating expenses, which are reported
[FR Doc. 2016–24617 Filed 10–11–16; 8:45 am] including the use of automated in their R–1 reports (OMB Control
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P collection techniques or other forms of Number 2140–0009). Operating
information technology when expenses are used to develop operating
appropriate; and (4) whether the costs for application in various
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD collection of information is necessary proceedings before the Board, such as in
for the proper performance of the rate reasonableness cases and in the
30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek functions of the Board, including determination of railroad revenue
Extension of Approval: Rail whether the collection has practical adequacy.
Depreciation Studies utility. Submitted comments will be
summarized and included in the Under the PRA, a Federal agency
Notice and request for
ACTION:
Board’s request for OMB approval. conducting or sponsoring a collection of
comments. information must display a currently
Description of Collection valid OMB control number. A collection
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board. of information, which is defined in 44
Title: Rail Depreciation Studies.
SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork OMB Control Number: 2140–0028. U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c),
Reduction Act of 1995, 44 U.S.C. 3501– STB Form Number: None. includes agency requirements that
3521 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Type of Review: Extension with persons submit reports, keep records, or
Board (STB or Board) gives notice of its change. provide information to the agency, third
intent to seek approval from the Office Respondents: Class 1 railroads. parties, or the public. Section 3507(b) of
of Management and Budget (OMB) for Number of Respondents: Seven. the PRA requires, concurrent with an
mstockstill on DSK3G9T082PROD with NOTICES

an extension of the collection of Rail Frequency: On occasion. (Under 49 agency’s submitting a collection to OMB
Depreciation Studies. This information CFR part 1201, 4–1 to 4–4, the Board for approval, a 30-day notice and
collection is described in detail below. requires all Class 1 (large) carriers to comment period through publication in
The Board previously published a submit rail depreciation studies no less the Federal Register concerning each
notice about this collection in the than every three years for equipment proposed collection of information,
Federal Register. 81 FR 26,304 (May 2, property and every six years for road including each proposed extension of an
2016). That notice allowed for a 60-day and track property. That means that for existing collection of information.

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Document Created: 2016-10-12 00:55:48
Document Modified: 2016-10-12 00:55:48

Category		Regulatory Information
Collection		Federal Register
sudoc Class		AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106:
Publisher		Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
Section		Notices
Action		Notice and request for comments.
Dates		Comments on this information collection should be submitted by November 14, 2016.
Contact		For further information regarding this collection, contact Michael Higgins, Deputy Director, Office of Public Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245-0284 or at [email protected] [Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877- 8339.]
FR Citation		81 FR 70478