29864 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 123 / Tuesday, June 26, 2018 / Notices 

We are soliciting public comments to 

permit the Department to: 

• Evaluate whether the proposed 

information collection is necessary for 

the proper functions of the Department. 

• Evaluate the accuracy of our 

estimate of the time and cost burden for 

this proposed collection, including the 

validity of the methodology and 

assumptions used. 

• Enhance the quality, utility, and 

clarity of the information to be 

collected. 

• Minimize the reporting burden on 

those who are to respond, including the 

use of automated collection techniques 

or other forms of information 

technology. 

Please note that comments submitted 

in response to this Notice are public 

record. Before including any detailed 

personal information, you should be 

aware that your comments as submitted, 

including your personal information, 

will be available for public review. 

Abstract of Proposed Collection 

DS–1884 solicits information from 

petitioners claiming employment-based 

immigrant visa preference under section 

203(b)(4) of the Immigration and 

Nationality Act on the basis of 

qualification as a special immigrant 

described in section 101(a)(27)(D) of the 

Immigration and Nationality Act. A 

petitioner may file the DS–1884 petition 

within one year of notification by the 

Department of State that the Secretary 

has approved a recommendation that 

such special immigrant status be 

accorded to the alien. DS–1884 solicits 

information that will assist the consular 

officer in ensuring that the petitioner is 

statutorily qualified to receive such 

status, including meeting the years of 

service and exceptional service 

requirements. 

Methodology 

The form can be obtained from posts 

abroad or through the Department’s 

website. The application available on 

the Department’s website allows an 

applicant to complete the application 

electronically and then print the 

application and submit it to post. 

Edward J Ramotowski, 

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of 

Consular Affairs, Department of State. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13641 Filed 6–25–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–06–P 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD 

30-Day Notice of Intent To Seek 

Extension of Approval and Merger of 

Collections: Statutory Authority To 

Preserve Rail Service 

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: As part of its continuing effort 

to reduce paperwork burdens, and as 

required by the Paperwork Reduction 

Act of 1995 (PRA), the Surface 

Transportation Board (STB or Board) 

gives notice that it is requesting from 

the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) an extension of approval for the 

information collections required under 

section 8(d) of the National Trails 

System Act (Trails Act). The Board is 

also seeking approval to merge into this 

collection (OMB Control Number: 2140– 

0022) the collection of information 

about notifications of Trails Act 

agreement and substitute sponsorship 

(OMB Control Number: 2140–0017). The 

Board previously published a notice 

about this collection in the Federal 

Register (Apr. 18, 2018). That notice 

allowed for a 60-day public review and 

comment period. No comments were 

received. 

DATES: Comments on this information 

collection should be submitted by July 

26, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Written comments should 

be identified as ‘‘Paperwork Reduction 

Act Comments, Surface Transportation 

Board: Statutory Authority to Preserve 

Rail Service.’’ These comments should 

be directed to the Office of Management 

and Budget, Office of Information and 

Regulatory Affairs, Attention: Joseph B. 

Nye, Surface Transportation Board Desk 

Officer: by email at oira_submission@

omb.eop.gov; by fax at (202) 395–1743; 

or by mail to Room 10235, 725 17th 

Street NW, Washington, DC 20503. 

Please also direct comments to Chris 

Oehrle, PRA Officer, Surface 

Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW, 

Washington, DC 20423–0001, or to pra@

stb.gov. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For 

further information regarding this 

collection, contact Michael Higgins, 

Deputy Director, Office of Public 

Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and 

Compliance at (202) 245–0284 or at 

michael.higgins@stb.gov. Assistance for 

the hearing impaired is available 

through the Federal Information Relay 

Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board 

currently collects information from 

those seeking statutory authority to 

preserve rail carrier service under OMB 

Control Number 2140–0022. The 

authority under OMB Control Number 

2140–0022 includes the collection of 

information under the Trails Act, such 

as the notifications of Trails Act 

agreement and substitute sponsorship, 

which is also addressed under OMB 

Control Number 2140–0017. This 

request proposes to combine collections 

under Control Numbers 2140–0017 and 

2140–0022, with 2140–0022 being the 

survivor. The Board will request to 

discontinue Control Number 2140–0017 

upon OMB approval of the merger. 

Comments are requested concerning: 

(1) The accuracy of the Board’s burden 

estimates; (2) ways to enhance the 

quality, utility, and clarity of the 

information collected; (3) ways to 

minimize the burden of the collection of 

information on the respondents, 

including the use of automated 

collection techniques or other forms of 

information technology, when 

appropriate; and (4) whether the 

collection of information is necessary 

for the proper performance of the 

functions of the Board, including 

whether the collection has practical 

utility. Submitted comments will be 

summarized and included in the 

Board’s request for OMB approval. 

Description of Collection 1 

Title: Statutory Authority to Preserve 

Rail Service. 

OMB Control Number: 2140–0022. 

STB Form Number: None. 

Type of Review: Extension without 

change. 

Respondents: Affected shippers, 

communities, or other interested 

persons seeking to preserve rail service 

over rail lines that are proposed or 

identified for abandonment, and 

railroads that are required to provide 

information to the offeror or applicant. 

Number of Respondents: 40. 

Frequency: On occasion. 

TABLE—NUMBER OF YEARLY

RESPONSES

Type of filing Number of 

filings 

Offer of Financial Assistance ... 1 

OFA—Railroad Reply to Request for Information ............. 1 

OFA—Request to Set Terms 

and Conditions ...................... 1 

Request for Public Use Condition ........................................ 1 

Feeder Line Application ............ 5 

Trail Use Request ..................... 23 

Trail Use Request Extension .... 84 

Total Burden Hours (annually 

including all respondents): 826 Hours 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 123 / Tuesday, June 26, 2018 / Notices 29865 

(sum total of estimated hours per 

response × number of responses for each 

type of filing). 

TABLE—ESTIMATED HOURS PER

RESPONSE

Type of filing 

Number of 

hours per 

response 

Offer of Financial Assistance ... 32 

OFA—Railroad Reply to Request for Information ............. 10 

OFA—Request to Set Terms 

and Conditions ...................... 4 

Request for Public Use Condition ........................................ 2 

Feeder Line Application ............ 70 

Trail Use Request ..................... 4 

Trail Use Request Extension .... 4 

Total ‘‘Non-hour Burden’’ Cost: None 

identified. Filings may be submitted 

electronically to the Board. 

Needs and Uses: Under Interstate 

Commerce Act, amended by the ICC 

Termination Act of 1995, Public Law 

No. 104–88, 109 Stat. 803 (1995), 

amended by the Surface Transportation 

Board Reauthorization Act of 2015, 

Public Law 114–110 (2015), and under 

Section 8(d) of the Trails Act, and the 

related regulations, persons seeking to 

preserve rail service over a rail line that 

is in the process of being abandoned 

may file pleadings before the Board to 

acquire or subsidize a rail line for 

continued service, or to impose what is 

known as a trail use/railbanking or 

public use condition. 

First, under 49 U.S.C. 10904, the 

filing of an ‘‘Offer of Financial 

Assistance’’ (OFA) starts a process of 

negotiations to define the financial 

assistance needed to purchase or 

subsidize the rail line sought for 

abandonment. Once the OFA is filed, 

the offeror may request additional 

information from the railroad, which the 

railroad must provide. If the parties 

cannot agree to the sale or subsidy, 

either party also may file a request for 

the Board to set the terms and 

conditions of the financial assistance. 

Or, under section 10905, a public use 

request allows the Board to impose a 

180-day public use condition on the 

abandonment of a rail line, permitting 

the parties to negotiate a public use for 

the rail line. Alternatively, under 

section 10907, a feeder line application 

provides the basis for authorizing an 

involuntary sale of a rail line. 

Finally, under the Trails Act, a trail 

use request, if agreed upon by the 

abandoning carrier, requires the Board 

to condition the abandonment by 

issuing what is known as a Notice of 

Interim Trail Use (NITU) or Certificate 

of Interim Trail Use (CITU). The CITU/ 

NITU permits parties, for 180 days, to 

negotiate for an interim trail use/ 

railbanking agreement for the rail line. 

If parties reach an agreement, the CITU/ 

NITU automatically authorizes interim 

trail use/railbanking, and the parties 

must notify the Board that they have 

reached an agreement. The interim trails 

use/railbanking preserves the rail 

corridor for possible future use as an 

active rail line again. If no agreement is 

reached, then upon expiration of the 

negotiation period, the CITU/NITU 

authorizes the railroad to exercise its 

option to fully abandon the line without 

further action by the Board. 

The collection by the Board of these 

offers, requests, and applications, and 

the railroad’s replies (when required), 

enables the Board to meet its statutory 

duty to regulate the referenced rail 

transactions. 

Description of Collection 2 

Title: Notifications of Trails Act 

Agreement and Substitute Sponsorship. 

OMB Control Number: 2140–0017. 

STB Form Number: None. 

Type of Review: Merger. 

Respondents: Rail carriers; parties to 

an interim trail use agreement; 

substitute trail sponsors; and state and 

local governments. 

Number of Respondents: 40. 

Estimated Time per Response: One 

hour. 

Frequency: On occasion. 

Total Burden Hours (annually 

including all respondents): 40 hours. 

Total ‘‘Non-hour Burden’’ Cost: None 

identified. Filings may be submitted 

electronically to the Board. 

Needs and Uses: As described in 

‘‘Description of Collection 1’’ above, the 

STB will issue a CITU or NITU to a 

prospective trail sponsor who seeks a 

trails use/railbanking agreement with 

the rail carrier of the rail line that is 

being abandoned. The CITU/NITU 

permits parties, for 180 days, to 

negotiate for a trails use/railbanking 

agreement. If parties reach an 

agreement, then, under 49 CFR 1152.29, 

they must jointly notify the Board of 

that fact and must identify the exact 

location of the right-of-way subject to 

the agreement, including a map and 

milepost marker information. The rules 

also require parties to file a petition to 

modify or vacate the CITU/NITU if the 

trail use/railbanking agreement applies 

to less of the right-of-way than what is 

covered by the CITU/NITU. Finally, the 

rules require that a substitute trail 

sponsor must acknowledge that interim 

trail use is subject to restoration and 

reactivation at any time. The collection 

by the Board of this information enables 

the agency to ensure that the 

documentation for activities under the 

Trails Act remains current. 

Under the PRA, a federal agency that 

conducts or sponsors a collection of 

information must display a currently 

valid OMB control number. A collection 

of information, which is defined in 44 

U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c), 

includes agency requirements that 

persons submit reports, keep records, or 

provide information to the agency, third 

parties, or the public. Section 3507(b) of 

the PRA requires, concurrent with an 

agency’s submitting a collection to OMB 

for approval, a 30-day notice and 

comment period through publication in 

the Federal Register concerning each 

proposed collection of information. 

Dated: June 21, 2018. 

Jeffrey Herzig, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13698 Filed 6–25–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 

Maritime Administration 

[Docket No. MARAD–2018–0102] 

Requested Administrative Waiver of 

the Coastwise Trade Laws: Vessel KAT 

ATOMIC; Invitation for Public 

Comments 

AGENCY: Maritime Administration, DOT. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Secretary of 

Transportation, as represented by the 

Maritime Administration (MARAD), is 

authorized to grant waivers of the U.S.- 

build requirement of the coastwise laws 

under certain circumstances. A request 

for such a waiver has been received by 

MARAD. The vessel, and a brief 

description of the proposed service, is 

listed below. 

DATES: Submit comments on or before 

July 26, 2018. 

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to 

docket number MARAD–2018–0102. 

Written comments may be submitted by 

hand or by mail to the Docket Clerk, 

U.S. Department of Transportation, 

Docket Operations, M–30, West 

Building Ground Floor, Room W12–140, 

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 

Washington, DC 20590. You may also 

send comments electronically via the 

internet at http://www.regulations.gov. 

All comments will become part of this 

docket and will be available for 

inspection and copying at the above 

address between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 

p.m., Monday through Friday, except 

federal holidays. An electronic version 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES