Regulations Governing Fees for Services Performed in Connection with Licensing and Related Services-2016 Update

AGENCY:

Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION:

Final rules.

SUMMARY:

The Board updates for 2016 the fees that the public must pay to file certain cases and pleadings with the Board. In this update, the following results are obtained: 18 fees increased by $50 or less, 15 fees increased by $100 to $199, 23 fees increased by $200 to $300, 19 fees increased by more than $300, and the remaining 58 fees will be maintained at their current level.

DATES:

These rules are effective September 1, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

David T. Groves, (202) 245-0327, or Andrea Pope-Matheson (202) 245-0363. [TDD for the hearing impaired: 1-800-877-8339.]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Board's regulations at 49 CFR 1002.3 provide for an annual update of the Board's entire user-fee schedule. Fees are generally revised based on the cost study formula set forth at 49 CFR 1002.3(d). As compared with the 2015 fee update, the 2016 fee changes adopted here reflect a combination of a 1.46% across-the-board increase to salary costs; no change in publication cost levels; increases to two of the three Board Overhead cost factors; and a slight decrease to the third Board Overhead cost factor from its comparable 2015 level, resulting from the mechanical application of the update formula in 49 CFR 1002.3(d). Results from the formula application indicate that justified fee amounts in this 2016 update decision either remain unchanged (58 fee items), increase by $50 or less (18 fee items), increase by $300 or less (38 fee items) or increase over $300 (19 fee items) from their respective 2015 update levels. No new fee items are proposed in this proceeding. However, there is an expansion of existing fee item 98 to now include monthly and quarterly Waybill request data. Therefore, the Board finds that notice and comment are unnecessary for this proceeding. See Regulations Governing Fees for Servs.—1990 Update, 7 I.C.C.2d 3 (1990); Regulations Governing Fees for Servs.—1991 Update, 8 I.C.C.2d 13 (1991); Regulations Governing Fees for Servs.—1993 Update, 9 I.C.C.2d 855 (1993).

Additional information is contained in the Board's decision. To obtain a free copy of the full decision, visit the Board's Web site at http://www.stb.dot.gov or call (202) 245-0245. [Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through Federal Information Relay Services (FIRS): (800) 877-8339.]

List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 1002

• Administrative practice and procedure
• Common carriers, and Freedom of information

For the reasons set forth in the preamble, title 49, chapter X, part 1002, of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows:

PART 1002—FEES

1. The authority citation for part 1002 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552(a)(4)(A) and 553; 31 U.S.C. 9701 and 49 U.S.C. 1321(a). Section 1002.1(g)(11) is also issued under 5 U.S.C. 5514 and 31 U.S.C. 3717.

2. Section 1002.1 is amended by revising paragraphs (d), (f)(1), and (g)(6) and (7) to read as follows:

3. In 1002.2, paragraph (f) is revised to read as follows: