68352 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 250 / Wednesday, December 31, 1997 / Notices

1The trackage rights agreement filed in STB

Finance Docket No. 32940 (Sub-No. 1) will amend

the trackage rights agreement between the parties,

dated May 2, 1996, to include these additional

rights.

2The notice to employees discussed in WCL

Exemption and recently adopted as a requirement

for certain transactions in Acquisition of Rail Lines

Under 49 U.S.C. 10901 and 10902—Advance Notice

of Proposed Transactions, STB Ex Parte No. 562

(STB served Sept. 9, 1997), does not apply to

exempt trackage rights transactions.

proposed action and the EIS/4(f)

evaluation should be directed to the

Colorado Department of Transportation

at the address provided above.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Program Number 20.205, Highway Planning

and Construction. The regulations

implementing Executive Order 12372

regarding intergovernmental consultation on

Federal programs and activities apply to this

program)

Issued on: December 22, 1997.

Ronald A. Speral,

Environmental/ROW Program Manager,

Colorado Division, Federal Highway

Administration, Lakewood, Colorado.

Louis F. Mraz Jr.,

Regional Administrator, Federal Transit

Administration, Region VIII, Denver,

Colorado.

[FR Doc. 97–34043 Filed 12–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M; 4910–57–M

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Finance Docket No. 32940 (Sub-No.

1)]

Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad, Inc.;

Trackage Rights Exemption—Pittsburg

& Shawmut Railroad, Inc.

Pittsburg & Shawmut Railroad, Inc.

(PSR), a Class III rail carrier, has agreed

to grant overhead trackage rights to

Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad, Inc.

(BPRR), a Class II rail carrier, over

approximately 7.4 miles of rail line in

the State of Pennsylvania on PSR’s

Laurel Subdivision between milepost

60.0, near Falls Creek, and milepost

67.0, near East Dubois, together with

approximately 2,200 feet of connecting

track between PSR’s Laurel Subdivision

and BPRR’s Wharton Subdivision (at

approximately mileposts 3.3 and 3.4)

(collectively, the subject lines).1

The purpose of the trackage rights is

to allow BPRR to shift traffic from a

portion of its Wharton subdivision that

is in need of rehabilitation to the subject

lines that are in better condition, and to

allow BPRR to continue to serve its local

customers in a safe and more efficient

manner.

As a condition to this exemption, any

employees affected by the trackage

rights will be protected as required by

49 U.S.C. 11326(b), subject to the

procedural interpretations of the

analogous statutory provisions at 49

U.S.C. 10902 contained in the Board’s

decision in Wisconsin Central Ltd.—

Acquisition Exemption—Lines of Union

Pacific Railroad Company, STB Finance

Docket No. 33116 (STB served Apr. 17,

1997) (WCL Exemption).

The transaction is scheduled to be

consummated on or after December 22,

1997.2

This notice is filed under 49 CFR

1180.2(d)(7). If it 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 will not

automatically stay the transaction.

An original and 10 copies of all

pleadings, referring to STB Finance

Docket No. 32940 (Sub-No. 1) 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 Eric M. Hockey, Esq.,

Gollatz, Griffin & Ewing, P.C., 213 W.

Miner Street, P.O. Box 796, West

Chester PA 19381–0796.

Decided: December 22, 1997.

By the Board, David M. Konschnik,

Director, Office of Proceedings.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–34021 Filed 12–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Docket No. AB–312 (Sub–No. 2X)]

South Carolina Central Railroad

Company, Inc., d/b/a Carolina

Piedmont Division— Abandonment

Exemption—in Greenville County, SC

On December 12, 1997, South

Carolina Central Railroad Company,

Inc., d/b/a Carolina Piedmont Division

(CPDR), filed with the Surface

Transportation Board (Board) a petition

under 49 U.S.C. 10502 for exemption

from the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 10903

to abandon two segments of a line of

railroad extending from: (1) railroad

milepost AJK 585.34, in East Greenville,

SC, to railroad milepost AJK 588.63 in

Greenville, SC; and (2) railroad milepost

0.0 to railroad milepost 2.0 in

Greenville, a total distance of 5.29

miles, in Greenville County, SC. The

line traverses U.S. Postal Service Zip

Codes 29602 and 29607. CPDR has

indicated that there are no stations on

the line.

The line does not contain federally

granted rights-of-way. Any

documentation in CPDR’s possession

will be made available promptly to

those requesting it.

The interest of railroad employees

will be protected by the conditions set

forth in Oregon Short Line R. Co.—

Abandonment—Goshen, 360 I.C.C. 91

(1979).

By issuance of this notice, the Board

is instituting an exemption proceeding

pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final

decision will be issued by April 1, 1998.

Any offer of financial assistance

(OFA) under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) will

be due no later than 10 days after

service of a decision granting the

petition for exemption. Each OFA must

be accompanied by a $900 filing fee. See

49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25).

All interested persons should be

aware that, following abandonment of

rail service and salvage of the line, the

line may be suitable for other public

use, including interim trail use. Any

request for a public use condition under

49 CFR 1152.28 or for trail use/rail

banking under 49 CFR 1152.29 will be

due no later than January 20, 1998. Each

trail use request must be accompanied

by a $150 filing fee. See 49 CFR

1002.2(f)(27).

All filings in response to this notice

must refer to STB Docket No. AB–312

(Sub-No. 2X) and must be sent to: (1)

Surface Transportation Board, Office of

the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K

Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20423–

0001; and (2) Karl Morell, Ball Janik

LLP, 1455 F Street, N.W., Suite 225,

Washington, DC 20005.

Persons seeking further information

concerning abandonment procedures

may contact the Board’s Office of Public

Services at (202) 565–1592 or refer to

the full abandonment or discontinuance

regulations at 49 CFR part 1152.

Questions concerning environmental

issues may be directed to the Board’s

Section of Environmental Analysis

(SEA) at (202) 565–1545. [TDD for the

hearing impaired is available at (202)

565–1695.]

An environmental assessment (EA) (or

environmental impact statement (EIS), if

necessary) prepared by SEA will be

served upon all parties of record and

upon any agencies or other persons who

commented during its preparation.

Other interested persons may contact

SEA to obtain a copy of the EA (or EIS).

EAs in these abandonment proceedings

normally will be made available within

60 days of the filing of the petition. The
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 250 / Wednesday, December 31, 1997 / Notices 68353

deadline for submission of comments on

the EA will generally be within 30 days

of its service.

Decided: December 22, 1997.

By the Board, David M. Konschnik,

Director, Office of Proceedings.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–33860 Filed 12–30–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

International Trade Data System

Project Office; Proposed Collection;

Comment Request

ACTION: Notice and request for

comments.

SUMMARY: The Department of the

Treasury, as part of its continuing effort

to reduce paperwork and respondent

burden, invites the general public and

other Federal agencies to take this

opportunity to comment on proposed

and/or continuing information

collections, as required by the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,

Public Law 104–13 (44 U.S.C.

3505(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the

International Trade Data System Project

Office within the Department of the

Treasury is soliciting comments

concerning the migration of the North

American Trade Automation Prototype

(NATAP) from a prototype to an

operational pilot, and the pilot of the

International Trade Prototype both of

which will operate under the

International Trade Data System (ITDS).

DATES: Written comments should be

received on or before April 5, 1998. To

be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to The Department of the Treasury,

International Trade Data Systems

Project Office, Attn: William Nolle, 1300

Pennsylvania Ave. NW., Suite 4000,

Washington, DC 20229, Telephone (202)

216–2760.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the instructions should be

directed to The Department of the

Treasury, International Trade Data

Systems Project Office, Attn.: William

Nolle, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.,

Suite 4000, Washington, DC 20229,

Telephone (202) 216–2760. Information

concerning NATAP can also be obtained

at the following Web Site:

www.itds.treas.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: The International Trade Data

System; North American Trade

Automation Prototype (NATAP), and

the International Trade Prototype (ITP).

OMB Number: 1505–0162.

Abstract: After extensive consultation

with the trade community in the three

countries, the NAFTA Information

Exchange and Automation Working

Group developed the North American

Trade Automation Prototype (NATAP).

NATAP is a prototype developed by the

U.S., Canada, and Mexico to experiment

with standardized data, advanced

automation, technologies,

communications, and encryption

designed to reduce costs and improve

trade among the three NAFTA counties.

This is mandated by Article 512 of the

NAFTA. NATAP has been endorsed by

the three governments and their trade

communities as a limited six month test

to be conducted at two US/Canada and

four US/Mexico border locations. After

the prototype period ending in May

1998, NATAP will stop; the

governments and trade community will

conduct joint and individual

evaluations of the concepts experienced

in NATAP and will move NATAP from

a prototype to a pilot.

The intent of the International Trade

Prototype (ITP) is nearly identical to

that of NATAP, with some variations.

ITP is an initiative with the United

Kingdom Customs and Excise

Administration. ITP employs similar

data and technology as NATAP but

extends this type of processing to the

ocean (marine) and air environments.

NATAP, on the other hand, was limited

to land border truck and rail

transactions. While the ITP is being

done directly with the United Kingdom,

it is being carefully examined by the

European Economic Union (EEU).

These two operational pilots (NATAP

and ITP) will be used as a proof of

concept for many attributes for the

International Trade Data System (ITDS)

as defined in the National Performance

Review (NPR) under initiative ‘‘IT 06’’

and as noted in the ‘‘Access America’’

NPR report ‘‘A09’’ in which the Vice

President has designated NATAP to

validate the International Trade Data

System concept. In addition, NATAP

incorporates encryption and privacy as

noted in NPR initiative ‘‘IT10.’’ NATAP

and ITP are compatible as a proof of

concept of the International Trade Data

System and lead into other international

trade initiatives such as international

standardization of trade date being

developed by the G–7 countries, and

harmonization efforts underway with

the Asian Pacific Economic Conference

(APEC).

In addition to the international

standardization aspects of United States

international, the intent of the U.S.

Treasury, International Trade Data

System Project Office is to demonstrate

the integration of individual U.S. federal

agency trade procedures into a

comprehensive international trade

process that includes the clearance and

admissibility of goods, drivers/crew,

and conveyances for purposes of

enforcement, revenue, health and safety,

etc.

Current Actions: The three

governments have agreed to extend

NATAP as a prototype for six additional

months until May 15, 1998. At the end

of this prototype period, the three

governments have agreed to deploy

NATAP as an operational pilot. Note

that the distinction between a prototype

and operational pilots is that under the

prototype, participants were required to

conduct trade in the prototype and

duplicate the same transaction in the

current system. As an operational pilot,

the transaction processed under the

pilot will constitute the bonafide

declaration and release. It will not be

necessary under the pilot to perform

both processes to obtain release of

goods.

Since we have gained much

experience with NATAP in these

advanced methods of processing, the

International Trade Prototype effort

with the United Kingdom will

incorporate lessons learned from the

NATAP and will move directly into the

operation pilot phase.

This is a request to permit the United

States Treasury Department along with

the Federal agencies participating in the

NATAP and ITP to allow the collection

of data for these pilots for a three year

period.

Volunteers have agreed to participate

in NATAP and ITP in order to provide

traders with the opportunity to

experiment with these advanced

technologies and procedures with

minimal expense. Through their

evaluation of NATAP and ITP, they will

have input into future trade processes,

requirements and the design,

development, and deployment of the

International Trade Data System.

Type of Review: Extension.

Affected Public: Importers, exporters,

customs house brokers, carriers (truck

and rail) who have volunteered to

participate in NATAP and ITP.

Estimated Number of Respondents:

There are approximately 120 U.S.

participants. Estimated number of

respondents is 120.

Estimated Time per Respondents:

Each response will not exceed 3.5

minutes.

Estimated Total Annual Burden

Hours: 0 (No additional burden hours

required. Pilot removes the need for