83 FR 32180 - 60-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval of Collections: Rail Carrier Financial Reports

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 133 (July 11, 2018)

Page Range		32180-32181
FR Document		2018-14810
As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the Surface Transportation Board (Board) gives notice of its intent to request from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval without change of the six existing collections described below.
Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 133 (Wednesday, July 11, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 133 (Wednesday, July 11, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32180-32181]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-14810]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD


60-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Extension of Approval of 
Collections: Rail Carrier Financial Reports

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, 
and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA), the 
Surface Transportation Board (Board) gives notice of its intent to 
request from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval without 
change of the six existing collections described below.

DATES: Comments on these information collections should be submitted by 
September 10, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Chris Oehrle, PRA Officer, Surface 
Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001, or to 
[email protected]. When submitting comments, please refer to ``Paperwork 
Reduction Act Comments, Rail Carrier Financial Reports.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information regarding 
these collections, contact Pedro Ramirez at (202) 245-0333 or 
[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 each 
collection as to (1) whether the particular collection of information 
is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Board, 
including whether the collection has practical utility; (2) the 
accuracy of the Board's burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information collected; and (4) 
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. Submitted 
comments will be included and/or summarized in the Board's request for 
OMB approval.
    Subjects: In this notice, the Board is requesting comments on the 
following information collections:

Description of Collection 1

    Title: Quarterly Report of Revenues, Expenses, and Income--
Railroads (Form RE&I).
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0013.
    Form Number: Form RE&I.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Class I railroads.
    Number of Respondents: Seven.
    Estimated Time per Response: Six hours.
    Frequency of Response: Quarterly.
    Total Annual Hour Burden: 168 hours annually.
    Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: This collection is a report of railroad operating 
revenues, operating expenses and income items. It is also a profit and 
loss statement, disclosing net railway operating income on a quarterly 
and year-to-date basis for current and prior years. See 49 CFR 1243.1. 
The Board uses the information in this report to ensure competitive, 
efficient, and safe transportation through general oversight programs 
that monitor and forecast the financial and operating condition of 
railroads, and through regulation of railroad rate and service issues 
and rail restructuring proposals, including railroad mergers, 
consolidations, acquisitions of control, and abandonments. Information 
from these reports is used by the Board, other Federal agencies, and 
industry groups to monitor and assess industry growth and operations, 
detect changes in carrier financial stability, and identify trends that 
may affect the national transportation system. Some of the information 
from these reports is compiled by the Board in our quarterly Selected 
Earnings Data Report, which is published on the Board's website, 
https://www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_reports.html. The information 
contained in these reports is not available from any other source.

Description of Collection 2

    Title: Quarterly Condensed Balance Sheet--Railroads (Form CBS).
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0014.
    Form Number: Form CBS.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Class I railroads.
    Number of Respondents: Seven.
    Estimated Time per Response: Six hours.
    Frequency of Response: Quarterly.
    Total Annual Hour Burden: 168 hours annually.
    Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: This collection shows the balance, quarterly and 
cumulative, for the current and prior year of the carrier's assets and 
liabilities, gross capital expenditures, and revenue tons carried. See 
49 CFR 1243.2. The Board uses the information in this report to ensure 
competitive, efficient, and safe transportation through general 
oversight programs that monitor and forecast the financial and 
operating condition of railroads, and through specific regulation of 
railroad rate and service issues and rail restructuring proposals, 
including railroad mergers, consolidations, acquisitions of control, 
and abandonments. Information from these reports is used by the Board, 
other Federal agencies, and industry groups to assess industry growth 
and operations, detect changes in carrier financial stability, and 
identify trends that may affect the national transportation system. 
Revenue ton-miles, which are reported in these reports, are compiled 
and published by the Board in its quarterly Selected Earnings Data 
Report, which is published on the Board's website, https://www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_reports.html. The information contained in these 
reports is not available from any other source.

Description of Collection 3

    Title: Report of Railroad Employees, Service and Compensation (Wage 
Forms A and B).
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0004.
    Form Number: Wage Form A; and Wage Form B.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Class I railroads.
    Number of Respondents: Seven.
    Estimated Time per Response: No more than 3 hours per quarterly 
report and 4 hours per annual summation.
    Frequency of Response: Quarterly, with an annual summation.
    Total Annual Hour Burden: No more than 128 hours annually.
    Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: This collection shows the number of employees, 
service hours, and compensation, by employee group (e.g., executive, 
professional, maintenance-of-way and equipment, and transportation), of 
the reporting railroads. See 49 CFR 1245. The

[[Page 32181]]

information is used by the Board to forecast labor costs and measure 
the efficiency of the reporting railroads. The information is also used 
by the Board to evaluate proposed regulated transactions that may 
impact rail employees, including mergers and consolidations, 
acquisitions of control, purchases, and abandonments. Other Federal 
agencies and industry groups, including the Railroad Retirement Board 
(RRB), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and Association of American 
Railroads (AAR), use the information contained in the reports to 
monitor railroad operations. Certain information from these reports is 
compiled and published on the Board's website, https://www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_reports.html. The information contained in these reports 
is not available from any other source.

Description of Collection 4

    Title: Monthly Report of Number of Employees of Class I Railroads 
(Wage Form C).
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0007.
    Form Number: STB Form C.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Class I railroads.
    Number of Respondents: Seven.
    Estimated Time per Response: 1.25 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Monthly.
    Total Annual Hour Burden: 105 hours annually.
    Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: This collection shows, for each reporting carrier, 
the average number of employees at mid-month in the six job-
classification groups that encompass all railroad employees. See 49 CFR 
1246. The information is used by the Board to forecast labor costs and 
measure the efficiency of the reporting railroads. The information is 
also used by the Board to evaluate the impact on rail employees of 
proposed regulated transactions, including mergers and consolidations, 
acquisitions of control, purchases, and abandonments. Other Federal 
agencies and industry groups, including the RRB, BLS, and AAR, use the 
information contained in these reports to monitor railroad operations. 
Certain information from these reports is compiled and published on the 
Board's website, https://www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_reports.html. 
The information contained in these reports is not available from any 
other source.

Description of Collection 5

    Title: Annual Report of Cars Loaded and Cars Terminated.
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0011.
    Form Number: Form STB-54.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Class I railroads.
    Number of Respondents: Seven.
    Estimated Time per Response: Four hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Total Annual Hour Burden: 28 hours annually.
    Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: This collection reports the number of cars loaded 
and cars terminated on the reporting carrier's line. See 49 CFR 1247. 
Information in this report is entered into the Board's Uniform Rail 
Costing System (URCS), which is a cost measurement methodology. URCS, 
which was developed by the Board pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 11161, is used 
as a tool in rail rate proceedings, in accordance with 49 U.S.C. 
10707(d), to calculate the variable costs associated with providing a 
particular service. The Board also uses URCS to carry out more 
effectively other of its regulatory responsibilities, including: acting 
on railroad requests for authority to engage in Board-regulated 
financial transactions such as mergers, acquisitions of control, and 
consolidations, see 49 U.S.C. 11323-11324; analyzing the information 
that the Board obtains through the annual railroad industry waybill 
sample, see 49 CFR 1244; measuring off-branch costs in railroad 
abandonment proceedings, in accordance with 49 CFR 1152.32(n); 
developing the ``rail cost adjustment factors,'' in accordance with 49 
U.S.C. 10708; and conducting investigations and rulemakings. This 
collection is compiled and published on the Board's website, https://www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_reports.html. There is no other source 
for the information contained in this report.

Description of Collection 6

    Title: Quarterly Report of Freight Commodity Statistics (Form QCS).
    OMB Control Number: 2140-0001.
    Form Number: Form QCS.
    Type of Review: Extension without change.
    Respondents: Class I railroads.
    Number of Respondents: Seven.
    Estimated Time per Response: 0.25 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Quarterly, with an annual summation.
    Total Annual Hour Burden: 8.75 hours annually.
    Total Annual ``Non-Hour Burden'' Cost: None identified. Filings are 
submitted electronically to the Board.
    Needs and Uses: This collection, which is based on information 
contained in carload waybills used by railroads in the ordinary course 
of business, reports car loadings and total revenues by commodity code 
for each commodity that moved on the railroad during the reporting 
period. See 49 CFR 1248. Information in this report is entered into the 
Board's URCS, the uses of which are explained under Collection Number 
5. This collection is compiled and published on the Board's website, 
https://www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_reports.html. There is no other 
source for the information contained in this report.
    The Board makes this submission because, under the PRA, a federal 
agency that conducts or sponsors 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. 
Under 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), federal agencies are required to 
provide, prior to an agency's submitting a collection to OMB for 
approval, a 60-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.

    Dated: July 6, 2018.
Jeff Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2018-14810 Filed 7-10-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P
32180 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 133 / Wednesday, July 11, 2018 / Notices

determination who might have a information technology, when Estimated Time per Response: Six
constitutional presence in the United appropriate. Submitted comments will hours.
States, because to do so would render be included and/or summarized in the Frequency of Response: Quarterly.
ineffectual the measures authorized in Board’s request for OMB approval. Total Annual Hour Burden: 168 hours
the Order. Subjects: In this notice, the Board is annually.
This notice shall be published in the requesting comments on the following Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’
Federal Register. information collections: Cost: None identified. Filings are
submitted electronically to the Board.
Dated: June 19 2018. Description of Collection 1 Needs and Uses: This collection
Michael R. Pompeo, shows the balance, quarterly and
Title: Quarterly Report of Revenues,
Secretary of State. Expenses, and Income—Railroads (Form cumulative, for the current and prior
[FR Doc. 2018–14830 Filed 7–10–18; 8:45 am] RE&I). year of the carrier’s assets and liabilities,
BILLING CODE 4710–AD–P OMB Control Number: 2140–0013. gross capital expenditures, and revenue
Form Number: Form RE&I. tons carried. See 49 CFR 1243.2. The
Type of Review: Extension without Board uses the information in this
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD change. report to ensure competitive, efficient,
Respondents: Class I railroads. and safe transportation through general
60-Day Notice of Intent To Seek Number of Respondents: Seven. oversight programs that monitor and
Extension of Approval of Collections: Estimated Time per Response: Six forecast the financial and operating
Rail Carrier Financial Reports hours. condition of railroads, and through
Frequency of Response: Quarterly. specific regulation of railroad rate and
Notice and request for
ACTION: Total Annual Hour Burden: 168 hours service issues and rail restructuring
comments. annually. proposals, including railroad mergers,
Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’ consolidations, acquisitions of control,
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board. Cost: None identified. Filings are and abandonments. Information from
SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort submitted electronically to the Board. these reports is used by the Board, other
to reduce paperwork burdens, and as Needs and Uses: This collection is a Federal agencies, and industry groups to
required by the Paperwork Reduction report of railroad operating revenues, assess industry growth and operations,
Act of 1995 (PRA), the Surface operating expenses and income items. It detect changes in carrier financial
Transportation Board (Board) gives is also a profit and loss statement, stability, and identify trends that may
notice of its intent to request from the disclosing net railway operating income affect the national transportation
Office of Management and Budget on a quarterly and year-to-date basis for system. Revenue ton-miles, which are
(OMB) approval without change of the current and prior years. See 49 CFR reported in these reports, are compiled
six existing collections described below. 1243.1. The Board uses the information and published by the Board in its
DATES: Comments on these information in this report to ensure competitive, quarterly Selected Earnings Data Report,
collections should be submitted by efficient, and safe transportation which is published on the Board’s
September 10, 2018. through general oversight programs that website, https://www.stb.gov/stb/
ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to monitor and forecast the financial and industry/econ_reports.html. The
Chris Oehrle, PRA Officer, Surface operating condition of railroads, and information contained in these reports
Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW, through regulation of railroad rate and is not available from any other source.
Washington, DC 20423–0001, or to service issues and rail restructuring
proposals, including railroad mergers, Description of Collection 3
PRA@stb.gov. When submitting
comments, please refer to ‘‘Paperwork consolidations, acquisitions of control, Title: Report of Railroad Employees,
Reduction Act Comments, Rail Carrier and abandonments. Information from Service and Compensation (Wage Forms
Financial Reports.’’ these reports is used by the Board, other A and B).
Federal agencies, and industry groups to OMB Control Number: 2140–0004.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
monitor and assess industry growth and Form Number: Wage Form A; and
further information regarding these
operations, detect changes in carrier Wage Form B.
collections, contact Pedro Ramirez at
financial stability, and identify trends Type of Review: Extension without
(202) 245–0333 or pedro.ramirez@
that may affect the national change.
stb.gov. Assistance for the hearing Respondents: Class I railroads.
transportation system. Some of the
impaired is available through the Number of Respondents: Seven.
information from these reports is
Federal Information Relay Service Estimated Time per Response: No
compiled by the Board in our quarterly
(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339. more than 3 hours per quarterly report
Selected Earnings Data Report, which is
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments published on the Board’s website, and 4 hours per annual summation.
are requested concerning each https://www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_ Frequency of Response: Quarterly,
collection as to (1) whether the reports.html. The information contained with an annual summation.
particular collection of information is in these reports is not available from Total Annual Hour Burden: No more
necessary for the proper performance of any other source. than 128 hours annually.
the functions of the Board, including Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’
whether the collection has practical Description of Collection 2 Cost: None identified. Filings are
utility; (2) the accuracy of the Board’s Title: Quarterly Condensed Balance submitted electronically to the Board.
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burden estimates; (3) ways to enhance Sheet—Railroads (Form CBS). Needs and Uses: This collection
the quality, utility, and clarity of the OMB Control Number: 2140–0014. shows the number of employees, service
information collected; and (4) ways to Form Number: Form CBS. hours, and compensation, by employee
minimize the burden of the collection of Type of Review: Extension without group (e.g., executive, professional,
information on the respondents, change. maintenance-of-way and equipment,
including the use of automated Respondents: Class I railroads. and transportation), of the reporting
collection techniques or other forms of Number of Respondents: Seven. railroads. See 49 CFR 1245. The

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Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 133 / Wednesday, July 11, 2018 / Notices 32181

information is used by the Board to Description of Collection 5 Total Annual Hour Burden: 8.75
forecast labor costs and measure the Title: Annual Report of Cars Loaded hours annually.
efficiency of the reporting railroads. The Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’
and Cars Terminated.
information is also used by the Board to OMB Control Number: 2140–0011. Cost: None identified. Filings are
evaluate proposed regulated Form Number: Form STB–54. submitted electronically to the Board.
transactions that may impact rail Needs and Uses: This collection,
Type of Review: Extension without
employees, including mergers and which is based on information
change.
consolidations, acquisitions of control, contained in carload waybills used by
Respondents: Class I railroads.
purchases, and abandonments. Other railroads in the ordinary course of
Number of Respondents: Seven.
Federal agencies and industry groups, business, reports car loadings and total
Estimated Time per Response: Four
including the Railroad Retirement Board revenues by commodity code for each
hours.
(RRB), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Frequency of Response: Annual. commodity that moved on the railroad
and Association of American Railroads Total Annual Hour Burden: 28 hours during the reporting period. See 49 CFR
(AAR), use the information contained in annually. 1248. Information in this report is
the reports to monitor railroad Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’ entered into the Board’s URCS, the uses
operations. Certain information from Cost: None identified. Filings are of which are explained under Collection
these reports is compiled and published submitted electronically to the Board. Number 5. This collection is compiled
on the Board’s website, https:// Needs and Uses: This collection and published on the Board’s website,
www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_ reports the number of cars loaded and https://www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_
reports.html. The information contained cars terminated on the reporting reports.html. There is no other source
in these reports is not available from carrier’s line. See 49 CFR 1247. for the information contained in this
any other source. Information in this report is entered into report.
The Board makes this submission
Description of Collection 4 the Board’s Uniform Rail Costing
because, under the PRA, a federal
System (URCS), which is a cost
Title: Monthly Report of Number of agency that conducts or sponsors a
measurement methodology. URCS,
Employees of Class I Railroads (Wage collection of information must display a
which was developed by the Board
Form C). currently valid OMB control number. A
pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 11161, is used as
collection of information, which is
OMB Control Number: 2140–0007. a tool in rail rate proceedings, in
defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR
Form Number: STB Form C. accordance with 49 U.S.C. 10707(d), to
1320.3(c), includes agency requirements
Type of Review: Extension without calculate the variable costs associated
that persons submit reports, keep
change. with providing a particular service. The
records, or provide information to the
Board also uses URCS to carry out more
Respondents: Class I railroads. agency, third parties, or the public.
effectively other of its regulatory
Number of Respondents: Seven. Under 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), federal
responsibilities, including: acting on
agencies are required to provide, prior
Estimated Time per Response: 1.25 railroad requests for authority to engage
to an agency’s submitting a collection to
hours. in Board-regulated financial
OMB for approval, a 60-day notice and
Frequency of Response: Monthly. transactions such as mergers,
comment period through publication in
acquisitions of control, and
Total Annual Hour Burden: 105 hours the Federal Register concerning each
consolidations, see 49 U.S.C. 11323–
annually. proposed collection of information,
11324; analyzing the information that
Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’ including each proposed extension of an
the Board obtains through the annual
Cost: None identified. Filings are existing collection of information.
railroad industry waybill sample, see 49
submitted electronically to the Board. CFR 1244; measuring off-branch costs in Dated: July 6, 2018.
Needs and Uses: This collection railroad abandonment proceedings, in Jeff Herzig,
shows, for each reporting carrier, the accordance with 49 CFR 1152.32(n); Clearance Clerk.
average number of employees at mid- developing the ‘‘rail cost adjustment [FR Doc. 2018–14810 Filed 7–10–18; 8:45 am]
month in the six job-classification factors,’’ in accordance with 49 U.S.C. BILLING CODE 4915–01–P
groups that encompass all railroad 10708; and conducting investigations
employees. See 49 CFR 1246. The and rulemakings. This collection is
information is used by the Board to compiled and published on the Board’s OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES
forecast labor costs and measure the website, https://www.stb.gov/stb/ TRADE REPRESENTATIVE
efficiency of the reporting railroads. The industry/econ_reports.html. There is no
information is also used by the Board to other source for the information [Docket Number USTR–2018–0025]
evaluate the impact on rail employees of contained in this report.
proposed regulated transactions, Procedures To Consider Requests for
including mergers and consolidations, Description of Collection 6 Exclusion of Particular Products From
acquisitions of control, purchases, and Title: Quarterly Report of Freight the Determination of Action Pursuant
abandonments. Other Federal agencies Commodity Statistics (Form QCS). to Section 301: China’s Acts, Policies,
and industry groups, including the RRB, OMB Control Number: 2140–0001. and Practices Related to Technology
BLS, and AAR, use the information Form Number: Form QCS. Transfer, Intellectual Property, and
contained in these reports to monitor Type of Review: Extension without Innovation
daltland on DSKBBV9HB2PROD with NOTICES

railroad operations. Certain information change. AGENCY: Office of the United States
from these reports is compiled and Respondents: Class I railroads. Trade Representative.
published on the Board’s website, Number of Respondents: Seven. ACTION: Notice and request for
https://www.stb.gov/stb/industry/econ_ Estimated Time per Response: 0.25 comments.
reports.html. The information contained hours.
in these reports is not available from Frequency of Response: Quarterly, SUMMARY: In a notice published on June
any other source. with an annual summation. 20, 2018, the U.S. Trade Representative

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Document Created: 2018-07-10 23:53:47
Document Modified: 2018-07-10 23:53:47
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 these information collections should be submitted by September 10, 2018.
Contact		For further information regarding these collections, contact Pedro Ramirez at (202) 245-0333 or [email protected] Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
FR Citation		83 FR 32180