[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 242 (Friday, December 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 91237-91238]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-30249]


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

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. EP 730 (Sub-No. 1)]


Revisions to Arbitration Procedures

    By decision served on September 30, 2016, as corrected on October 
11, 2016, the Board adopted rules to modify its arbitration procedures 
so that its regulations, set forth at 49 CFR 1108 and 1115.8, conform 
to the requirements of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act 
of 2015, Public Law 114-110 (2015). Under Section 13 of that Act 
(codified at 49 U.S.C. 11708), the Board must ``promulgate regulations 
to establish a voluntary and binding arbitration process to resolve 
rail rate and practice complaints'' that are subject to the Board's 
jurisdiction. Section 11708(f) provides that, unless parties otherwise 
agree, an arbitrator or panel of arbitrators shall be selected from a 
roster maintained by the Board. Accordingly, the Board's rules 
establish a process for creating and maintaining a roster of 
arbitrators. See Revisions to Arbitration Procedures, EP 730, slip op. 
at 3-4 (STB served Oct. 11, 2016).
    To establish the initial roster of arbitrators, the Board now seeks 
applications from all interested persons who wish to be included on the 
roster. Each applicant should describe his or her experience with rail 
transportation and economic regulation, as well as professional or 
business experience, including agriculture, in the private sector. 
Further, each applicant should describe his or her training in dispute 
resolution and/or experience in arbitration or other forms of dispute 
resolution, including the number of years of experience. Lastly, the 
applicant should provide his or her contact information and fees.
    Applications should be submitted by January 17, 2017.\1\ The Board 
will assess each applicant's qualifications to determine which 
individuals can ably serve as arbitrators based on the criteria 
established under 49 CFR 1108.6(b). The Board will then establish the 
initial roster of arbitrators by no-objection vote. The Board's roster 
will include a brief biographical sketch of each arbitrator, including 
information such as background, area(s) of expertise, arbitration 
experience, and geographical location, as well as contact information 
and fees, based on the information supplied by the arbitrator. The 
roster will be published on the Board's Web site, pursuant to 49 CFR 
1108.6(b). The roster will be updated every year and may be modified by 
the Board at any time through a no-objection vote.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ Persons who have informally indicated an interest in being 
included on the arbitrator roster (e.g., correspondence to Board 
members) should submit an application pursuant to this decision.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    It is ordered:
    1. Applications to be included on the Board's roster of arbitrators 
are due by January 17, 2017.
    2. This decision is effective on the day of service.


[[Page 91238]]


    By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Raina S. Contee,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2016-30249 Filed 12-15-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P