54154 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 200 / Friday, October 17, 1997 / Notices

It should be noted that by October 25,

1997, the Department of Transportation

is required to provide a Report to

Congress which will evaluate the effects

of federal regulations on auto theft and

comprehensive insurance premiums,

and recommend what changes, if any, to

these regulations are appropriate.

Specifically, the Report to Congress will

evaluate the effects of the Anti Car Theft

Act of 1992 and the Motor Vehicle Theft

Law Enforcement Act of 1984. This

report will provide information on the

efficacy of parts-marking and antitheft

devices. It will also recommend whether

the Theft Prevention Standard should be

continued without change, modified to

cover more or fewer lines of passenger

motor vehicles; modified to cover other

classes of motor vehicles or to terminate

the standard for all future motor

vehicles. The notice seeking public

review and comment on the report prior

to its submission to Congress was

published in the Federal Register on

June 26, 1997 (See 62 FR 34494). The

Department of Transportation and the

Department of Justice are assessing the

current theft prevention program to

determine what, if any, changes are

needed to further deter motor vehicle

theft. Upon review of the public

comments, recommendations for

changes, if any, to the regulations will

be considered.

The agency believes that the Theft

Prevention Standard (49 CFR part 541),

in conjunction with FMVSS No. 114

and Part 543, provides a comprehensive

scheme for deterring motor vehicle

theft. Until DOT and DOJ complete their

assessment of the existing theft

prevention program, it would be

premature to promulgate any regulatory

requirement under the vehicle safety

law even if a way could be found to

develop performance criteria rather than

the design criteria suggested by the

CARS petition.

In accordance with 49 CFR part 552,

this completes the agency’s review of

the petition. The agency has concluded

that there is no reasonable possibility

that the request by the petitioner would

be amended at the conclusion of a

rulemaking proceeding. Accordingly, it

denies CARS’ petition.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30103, 30162;

delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50 and

501.8

Issued on: October 9, 1997.

L. Robert Shelton,

Associate Administrator for Safety

Performance Standards.

[FR Doc. 97–27597 Filed 10–16–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

Notice of Public Information Collection

Submitted to OMB for Review

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board,

DOT.

ACTION: Reinstatement, without change

of a previously approved collection for

which approval has expired.

SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation

Board has submitted to the Office of

Management and Budget for review and

approval the following proposal for

collection of information as required by

the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Pub. L. 104–13 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).

Title: Annual Report form R–1 Class

I Railroads.

OMB Form Number: 2140–0009.

No. of Respondents: 10.

Total Burden Hours: 8,000.

DATES: Persons wishing to comment on

this information collection should

submit comments by November 17,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all comments to Case

Control, Surface Transportation Board,

1925 K Street, NW, Washington, DC

20423. When submitting comments refer

to the OMB number and title of the

information collection.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ward L. Ginn, Jr., 202 565-1533.

Requests for copies of the information

collection may be obtained by

contacting Ellen R. Keys (202) 565–

1675.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Surface Transportation Board is, by

statute, responsible for the economic

regulation of surface transportation

carriers operating in interstate and

foreign commerce. The ICC Termination

Act of 1995, Pub. L. No. 104–88, 109

Stat. 803 (1995), which took effect on

January 1, 1996 abolished the Interstate

Commerce Commission and transferred

the responsibility for regulating rail

transportation. Annual reports are

required to be filed by Class I railroads

pursuant to authority in Sections 49

U.S.C. 11145, 11144 and 11901 of the

Act. The Board will use this information

to monitor industry growth, company

financial stability, traffic, and facilitate

informed decision making.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–27604 Filed 10–16–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33464]

Ashland Railway, Inc.—Acquisition

and Operation Exemption—CSX

Transportation, Inc.

Ashland Railway, Inc., a Class III rail

common carrier, has filed a notice of

exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41 to

acquire and operate 25.85 route miles of

rail line owned by the CSX

Transportation, Inc. The track to be

purchased, known as the Willard to

Mansfield Line, extends from Mansfield,

OH, milepost 61.07, to Willard,OH,

milepost 86.92.

The transaction is expected to be

consummated after the October 1, 1997

effective date of the exemption.

If the notice contains false or

misleading information, the exemption

is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the

exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d)

may be filed at any time. The filing of

a petition to revoke does not

automatically stay the transaction.

An original and 10 copies of all

pleadings, referring to STB Finance

Docket No. 33464, must be filed with

the Surface Transportation Board, Office

of the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925

K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20423–

0001. In addition, a copy of each

pleading must be served on Richard R.

Wilson, Esq., 1126 Eighth Avenue, Suite

403, Altoona, PA 16602.

Decided: October 8, 1997.

By the Board, David M. Konschnik,

Director, Office of Proceedings.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–27601 Filed 10–16–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 33489]

Georgia Northeastern Railroad

Company, Inc.—Lease and Operation

Exemption—Georgia Department of

Transportation

Georgia Northeastern Railroad

Company, Inc., a Class III rail common

carrier, has filed a notice of exemption

under 49 CFR 1150.41 to lease from the

Georgia Department of Transportation

and operate three rail lines in the State

of Georgia as follows: (i) From Valuation

Station 20975+35 (milepost 382.47), at

McCaysville, to Valuation Station

21726+83 (milepost 396.7), at Blue