30-day FRN

Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 101 / Thursday, May 25, 2023 / Notices
(Rail and Water Carrier Liens), Water
Carrier Tariffs, and Agricultural
Contract Summaries.’’ For further
information regarding this collection,
contact Mike Higgins at (866) 254–1792
(toll-free) or 202–245–0238, or by
emailing rcpa@stb.gov. Assistance for
the hearing impaired is available
through the Federal Information Relay
Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board
previously published a notice about this
collection in the Federal Register (88 FR
16513 (March 17, 2023)). That notice
allowed for a 60-day public review and
comment period. No comments were
received.
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 summarized in the
Board’s request for OMB approval.

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Description of Collections
Collection Number 1
Title: Agricultural Contract
Summaries.
OMB Control Number: 2140–0024.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Number of Respondents:
Approximately 10 (six Class I [large]
railroads and a limited number of other
railroads).
Frequency: On occasion. (Over the
last three years, respondents have filed
an average of 172 agricultural contract
summaries per year. The same number
of filings is expected during each of the
next three years.)
Estimated Time per Response:
Approximately 0.25 hours.
Total Burden Hours (annually
including all respondents): 43 hours
(172 submissions × 0.25 hours estimated
per submission).
Total Annual ‘‘Non-hour Burden’’
Cost: There are no non-hourly burden
costs for this collection. The collection
is filed electronically.
Needs and Uses: Under 49 U.S.C.
10709(d), railroads are required to file a
summary of the nonconfidential terms
of any contract for the transportation of
agricultural products.

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Collection Number 2
Title: Recordations (Rail and Water
Carrier Liens).
OMB Control Number: 2140–0025.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Respondents: Parties holding liens on
rail equipment or water carrier vessels,
and carriers filing proof that a lien has
been removed.
Number of Respondents:
Approximately 50 respondents.
Frequency: On occasion. (Over the
last three years, respondents have filed
an average of 1,850 responses per year.
The same number of filings is expected
during each of the next three years.)
Estimated Time Per Response:
Approximately 0.25 hours.
Total Burden Hours (annually
including all respondents): 462.5 hours
(1,850 submissions × 0.25 hours
estimated per response)
Total ‘‘Non-hour Burden’’ Cost: There
are no non-hourly burden costs for this
collection. The collection may be filed
electronically.
Needs and Uses: Under 49 U.S.C.
11301 and 49 CFR part 1177, liens on
rail equipment or water carrier vessels
must be filed with the STB in order to
perfect a security interest in the
equipment. Subsequent amendments,
assignments of rights, or release of
obligations under such instruments
must also be filed with the agency. This
information is maintained by the Board
for public inspection. Recordation at the
STB obviates the need for recording the
liens in individual States.

Hawaii, or the U.S. territories or
possessions (Puerto Rico, Guam, the
U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa,
and the Northern Mariana Islands) to or
from the mainland U.S.) may file an
annual certification with the Board that
includes the internet address of a
website containing a list of current and
historical tariffs (including prices and
fees that the water carrier charges to the
shipping public).
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. 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.
Dated: May 22, 2023.
Stefan Rice,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2023–11197 Filed 5–24–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek
Extension of Approval of Collection:
Rail Depreciation Studies

Collection Number 3

AGENCY:

Title: Water Carrier Tariffs.
OMB Control Number: 2140–0026.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Respondents: Water carriers that
provide freight transportation in
noncontiguous domestic trade.
Number of Respondents:
Approximately 22.
Frequency: Annual certification.
Total Burden Hours (annually
including all respondents): 77 hours (22
annual filings × 3.5 hours estimated
time per certification).
Total ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’ Cost: There
are no non-hourly burden costs for this
collection. The annual certifications
will be submitted electronically.
Needs and Uses: Under 49 U.S.C.
13702(b) and 49 CFR part 1312, in lieu
of individual tariffs, water carriers that
provide freight transportation in
noncontiguous domestic trade (i.e.,
shipments moving to or from Alaska,

ACTION:

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33955

Surface Transportation Board.
Notice and request for
comments.

As required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (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, described below.
DATES: Comments on this information
collection should be submitted by June
26, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be identified as ‘‘Paperwork Reduction
Act Comments, Surface Transportation
Board, Rail Depreciation Studies.’’
Written comments for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted via www.reginfo.gov/public/
do/PRAMain. This information
collection can be accessed by selecting
‘‘Currently under Review—Open for
Public Comments’’ or by using the
SUMMARY:

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33956

Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 101 / Thursday, May 25, 2023 / Notices

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search function. As an alternative,
written comments may be directed to
the Office of Management and Budget,
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Attention: Michael J. McManus,
Surface Transportation Board Desk
Officer: via email at oira_submission@
omb.eop.gov; by fax at (202) 395–1743;
or by mail to Room 10235, 725 17th
Street NW, Washington, DC 20503.
Please also direct all comments to
Chris Oehrle, PRA Officer, Surface
Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW,
Washington, DC 20423–0001, or to
PRA@stb.gov. When submitting
comments, please refer to ‘‘Paperwork
Reduction Act Comments, Rail
Depreciation Studies.’’ For further
information regarding this collection,
contact Pedro Ramirez at (202) 245–
0333 or pedro.ramirez@stb.gov.
Assistance for the hearing impaired is
available through the Federal Relay
Service at (800) 877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board
previously published a notice about this
collection in the Federal Register (88 FR
16512 (March 17, 2023)). That notice
allowed for a 60-day public review and
comment period. No comments were
received.
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 summarized in the
Board’s request for OMB approval.
Subjects: In this notice, the Board is
requesting comments on the extension
of the following information collection:
Description of Collection
Title: Rail Depreciation Studies.
OMB Control Number: 2140–0028.
Form Number: None.
Type of Review: Extension without
change.
Respondents: Class I railroads.
Number of Respondents: Seven.
Estimated Time per Response:
Approximately 250 hours per study
(estimating that studies will require
between 125 hours and 375 hours
depending on the extent to which the
carrier provides assistance to outside
consultants performing the study for
them).

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Jkt 259001

Frequency of Response: Bi-annual.
(Under 49 CFR part 1201, sections 4–1
to 4–4, the Board requires all Class I
(large) carriers to submit depreciation
studies no less frequently than every
three years for equipment property and
every six years for road property. That
means that for any given six-year
period, the Class I railroads must submit
no fewer than three depreciation
reports, or the equivalent of 0.5
depreciation reports per year.)
Total Annual Hour Burden: 875 hours
(250 hours × 0.5 studies/year × 7 Class
I railroads).
Total Annual ‘‘Non-Hour Burden’’
Cost: Approximately $210,000 per year.
Board staff estimates that each biennial
study will cost between $20,000 and
$100,000 to reflect recent price
escalation, which converts to an annual
cost of approximately $10,000-$50,000
per year. Using an average cost ($30,000
per year X 7 Class I railroads), the nonhour burden cost is estimated to be
approximately $210,000 per year.
Needs and Uses: Under 49 CFR part
1201, sections 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. Under 49 U.S.C. 11145, Class
I rail carriers are required to submit
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 I 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 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. Section 3507(b) of
the PRA requires, concurrent with an

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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.
Information from certain schedules
contained in these reports is available at
the Board’s website at www.stb.gov by
navigating to ‘‘Reports & Data’’ and
clicking on ‘‘Economic Data.’’
Information in these reports is not
available from any other source.
Dated: May 22, 2023.
Stefan Rice,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2023–11198 Filed 5–24–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915–01–P

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek
Extension of Approval of Collection:
Arbitration ‘‘Opt-In’’ Notices
Surface Transportation Board.
Notice and request for
comments.

AGENCY:
ACTION:

As required by the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (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 Arbitration ‘‘Opt-in’’
Notices, described below.
DATES: Comments on this information
collection should be submitted by June
26, 2023.
ADDRESSES: Written comments should
be identified as ‘‘Paperwork Reduction
Act Comments, Arbitration ‘Opt-In’
Notices.’’ Written comments for the
proposed information collection should
be submitted via www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. This information
collection can be accessed by selecting
‘‘Currently under Review—Open for
Public Comments’’ or by using the
search function. As an alternative,
written comments may be directed to
the Office of Management and Budget,
Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs, Attention: Michael J. McManus,
Surface Transportation Board Desk
Officer: via email at oira_submission@
omb.eop.gov; by fax at (202) 395–1743;
or by mail to Room 10235, 725 17th
Street NW, Washington, DC 20503.
Please also direct all comments to
Chris Oehrle, PRA Officer, Surface
Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW,
Washington, DC 20423–0001, or to
PRA@stb.gov. When submitting
comments, please refer to ‘‘Paperwork
SUMMARY:

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