2720 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 8 / Wednesday, January 13, 2021 / Notices 

including your personal information, 

will be available for public review. 

Abstract of Proposed Collection 

Collection information instruments 

dealing with information collection 

from the foreign mission community, to 

include the electronic data compilation 

(e-Gov), have been combined under one 

information collection request, 

collectively referred to as the ‘‘Foreign 

Diplomatic Services Applications’’. 

These information collection 

instruments provide the Office of 

Foreign Missions and the Office of the 

Chief of Protocol with the information 

necessary to provide and administer an 

effective and efficient benefits, 

privileges, and immunities program by 

which foreign missions and eligible 

applicants may apply for benefits from 

the U.S. Department of State, to which 

they are entitled pursuant to the Foreign 

Missions Act. 

Methodology 

Information may be received via 

Email or electronic submission through 

eGov at https://egov.ofm.state.gov/. 

Kevin E. Bryant, 

Deputy Director, Office of Directives 

Management, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00474 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–43–P 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD 

[Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 14)] 

Notice of Railroad-Shipper 

Transportation Advisory Council 

Vacancies; Solicitation of Nominations 

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board 

(Board). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Board hereby gives notice 

of vacancies on RSTAC for two small 

railroad representatives. The Board 

seeks suggestions for candidates to fill 

these vacancies. 

DATES: Nominations are due on 

February 12, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: Suggestions may be 

submitted via e-filing on the Board’s 

website at http://www.stb.gov. 

Submissions will be posted to the 

Board’s website under Docket No. EP 

526 (Sub-No. 14). 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Coral Torres at (202) 245–0286. 

Assistance for the hearing impaired is 

available through the Federal Relay 

Service at (800) 877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Board, created 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. 10701–47, 

11101–24), the construction, 

acquisition, operation, and 

abandonment of rail lines (49 U.S.C. 

10901–07), as well as railroad line sales, 

consolidations, mergers, and common 

control arrangements (49 U.S.C. 10902, 

11323–27). 

The ICC Termination Act of 1995 

(ICCTA), enacted on December 29, 1995, 

established RSTAC 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 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 instructs RSTAC to endeavor to 

develop private-sector mechanisms to 

prevent, or identify and address, 

obstacles to the most effective and 

efficient transportation system 

practicable. The members of RSTAC 

also prepare an annual report 

concerning RSTAC’s activities. RSTAC 

is not subject to the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act. 

RSTAC’s 15 appointed members 

consist of representatives of small and 

large shippers, and small and large 

railroads. In addition, members of the 

Board and the Secretary of 

Transportation serve as ex officio 

members. Of the 15 appointed members, 

nine 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 may 

participate in RSTAC deliberations. 

Meetings of RSTAC are required by 

statute to be held at least semi-annually. 

RSTAC typically holds meetings 

quarterly at the Board’s headquarters in 

Washington, DC, although some 

meetings are held in other locations. 

During the coronavirus pandemic, 

RSTAC has been holding virtual 

meetings weekly and now bi-weekly 

with the Board Members and the 

Federal Railroad Administration 

Administrator to report on the status of 

rail service and operations. 

The members of RSTAC receive no 

compensation for their services and are 

required to provide for the expenses 

incidental to their service, including 

travel expenses. Currently, RSTAC 

members 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 Fed. Advisory Comms., 

Bds., & Comm’ns, 79 FR 47,482 (Aug. 

13, 2014). Members of RSTAC are 

appointed to serve in a representative 

capacity. 

Each RSTAC member is 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. 

Due to the expiration of two small 

railroad representatives’ second terms, 

the Board is seeking to fill those RSTAC 

positions. Suggestions for candidates to 

fill the vacancies should be submitted in 

letter form, identifying the name of the 

candidate, providing a summary of why 

the candidate is qualified to serve on 

RSTAC, and containing a representation 

that the candidate is willing to serve as 

an RSTAC member effective 

immediately upon appointment. RSTAC 

candidate suggestions should be filed 

with the Board by February 12, 2021. 

Members selected to serve on RSTAC 

are chosen at the discretion of the Board 

Chairman. Please note that submissions 

will be posted on the Board’s website 

under Docket No. EP 526 (Sub-No. 14) 

and can also be obtained by contacting 

the Office of Public Assistance, 

Governmental Affairs, and Compliance 

at RCPA@stb.gov or (202) 245–0238. 

(Authority: 49 U.S.C. 1325) 

Decided: January 8, 2021. 

By the Board, Allison C. Davis, Director, 

Office of Proceedings. 

Regena Smith-Bernard, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2021–00550 Filed 1–12–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P