[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 39 (Wednesday, February 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13396-13397]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-04525]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 4)]
Notice of Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council
Vacancy
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board (Board), Transportation.
ACTION: Notice of vacancies on the Railroad-Shipper Transportation
Advisory Council (RSTAC) and solicitation of nominations.
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SUMMARY: The Board hereby gives notice of one vacancy on RSTAC for a
small shipper representative. The Board is soliciting suggestions for
candidates to fill this vacancy.
DATES: Suggestions of candidates for membership on RSTAC are due on
March 25, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Suggestions may be submitted either via the Board's e-filing
format or in the traditional paper format. Any person using e-filing
should attach a document and otherwise comply with the instructions at
the E-FILING link on the Board's Web site, at http://www.stb.dot.gov.
Any person submitting a filing in the traditional paper format should
send an original and 10 copies to: Surface Transportation Board, Attn:
Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 4), 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-
0001. Please note that submissions will be available to the public at
the Board's offices and posted on the Board's Web site under Docket No.
EP 526 (Sub-No. 4).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gabriel Meyer at 202-245-0150.
Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board, created by Congress in 1996 to
take over many of the functions previously performed by the Interstate
Commerce Commission, exercises broad authority over transportation by
rail carriers, including regulation of railroad rates and service (49
U.S.C. 10701-10747, 11101-11124), as well as the construction,
acquisition, operation, and abandonment of rail lines (49 U.S.C. 10901-
10907) and railroad line sales, consolidations, mergers, and common
control arrangements (49 U.S.C. 10902, 11323-11327).
RSTAC was established upon the enactment of the ICC Termination Act
of 1995 (ICCTA), on December 29, 1995, to advise the Board's Chairman,
the Secretary of Transportation, the
[[Page 13397]]
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives with respect to rail transportation policy issues RSTAC
considers significant. RSTAC focuses on issues of importance to small
shippers and small railroads, including car supply, rates, competition,
and procedures for addressing claims. ICCTA directs RSTAC to develop
private-sector mechanisms to prevent, or identify and address,
obstacles to the most effective and efficient transportation system
practicable. The Secretary of Transportation and the members of the
Board cooperate with RSTAC in providing research, technical, and other
reasonable support. RSTAC also prepares an annual report concerning its
activities and recommendations on whatever regulatory or legislative
relief it considers appropriate. RSTAC is not subject to the Federal
Advisory Committee Act.
RSTAC consists of 19 members. Of this number, 15 members are
appointed by the Chairman of the Board, and the remaining 4 members are
comprised of the Secretary of Transportation and the Members of the
Board, who serve as ex officio, nonvoting members. Of the 15 members to
be appointed, 9 members are voting members and are appointed from
senior executive officers of organizations engaged in the railroad and
rail shipping industries. At least 4 of the voting members must be
representatives of small shippers as determined by the Chairman, and at
least 4 of the voting members must be representatives of Class II or
III railroads. The remaining 6 members to be appointed--3 representing
Class I railroads and 3 representing large shipper organizations--serve
in a nonvoting, advisory capacity, but are entitled to participate in
RSTAC deliberations.
RSTAC is required by statute to meet at least semi-annually. In
recent years, RSTAC has chosen to meet 4 times a year, with the first
meeting each February. Meetings are generally held at the Board's
headquarters in Washington, DC, although some may be held in other
locations.
RSTAC members receive no compensation for their services and are
required to provide for the expenses incidental to their service,
including travel expenses, as the Board cannot provide for these
expenses. The RSTAC Chairman, however, may request funding from the
Department of Transportation to cover travel expenses, subject to
certain restrictions in ICCTA. RSTAC also may solicit and use private
funding for its activities, again subject to certain restrictions in
ICCTA. RSTAC members currently have elected to submit annual dues to
pay for RSTAC expenses.
RSTAC members must be citizens of the United States and represent
as broadly as practicable the various segments of the railroad and rail
shipper industries. They may not be full-time employees of the United
States. Further, RSTAC members appointed or reappointed after June 18,
2010, are prohibited from serving as federally registered lobbyists
during their RSTAC term.
The members of RSTAC are appointed for a term of 3 years. A member
may serve after the expiration of his or her term until a successor has
taken office. No member will be eligible to serve in excess of 2
consecutive terms.
Due to an unanticipated resignation, one vacancy currently exists
for a small shipper representative. Upon appointment by the Chairman,
the small shipper representative will serve until December 31, 2014.
Suggestions for candidates to fill this vacancy should be submitted in
letter form, identify the name of the candidate, provide a summary of
why the candidate is qualified to serve on RSTAC, and contain a
representation that the candidate is willing to serve as a member of
RSTAC effective immediately upon appointment and continuing until
December 31, 2014. RSTAC candidate suggestions should be filed with the
Board by March 25, 2013. Members selected to serve on RSTAC are chosen
at the discretion of the Board's Chairman. Please note that submissions
will be available to the public at the Board's offices and posted on
the Board's Web site under Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 4).
This action will not significantly affect either the quality of the
human environment or the conservation of energy resources.
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 726.
Decided: February 21, 2013.
By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Office of Proceedings.
Raina White,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2013-04525 Filed 2-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P