[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 214 (Wednesday, November 5, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65769-65770]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26288]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 6)]
Notice of Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council
Vacancy
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of vacancies on the Railroad-Shipper Transportation
Advisory Council (RSTAC) and solicitation of nominations.
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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board (Board) hereby gives notice
of two vacancies for small railroad representatives on RSTAC. The Board
is soliciting suggestions from the public for candidates to fill these
two vacancies.
DATES: Suggestions of candidates for membership on RSTAC are due on
December 3, 2014.
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. 6), 395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-
0001 (if sending via express company or private courier, please use Zip
Code 20024). 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. 6).
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 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 to advise the Board's Chairman, the Secretary
of Transportation, the 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 that 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 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 four 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,
nine members are voting members and are appointed from senior executive
officers of organizations engaged in the railroad and rail shipping
industries. At least four of the voting members must be representatives
of small shippers, as determined by the Chairman, and at least four of
the voting members must be representatives of Class II or III
railroads. The remaining six members to be appointed--three
representing Class I railroads and three 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 met four times a year, with the first meeting
each February. Most meetings are held at the Board's headquarters in
Washington, DC, although some have been held in other locations.
[[Page 65770]]
RSTAC members receive no compensation for their services and are
required to provide for 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. According to revised guidance issued by the Office of
Management and Budget, it is permissible for federally registered
lobbyists to serve on advisory committees, such as RSTAC, as long as
they do so in a representative capacity, rather than an individual
capacity. See Revised Guidance on Appointment of Lobbyists to Federal
Advisory Committees, Boards, and Commissions, 79 FR 47,482 (Aug. 13,
2014). Members of RSTAC are appointed to serve in a representative
capacity.
The members of RSTAC are appointed for a term of three 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 two consecutive terms.
Two vacancies for small railroad representatives currently exist.
Representatives must be senior executive officers within their
organizations. Upon appointment by the Chairman, both representatives
will serve for three years, and may be eligible to serve second three-
year terms following the end of their first terms.
Suggestions for candidates to fill the two vacancies 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. RSTAC candidate
suggestions should be filed with the Board by December 3, 2014.
Candidates 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. 6).
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: October 31, 2014.
By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Director, Office of
Proceedings.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2014-26288 Filed 11-4-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P