Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 178 / Friday, September 13, 2024 / Notices 75009 

1According to the verified notice, under such a 

sublease, WMSR would assume all rights and 

obligations in the Lines under the Lease except the 

right and obligation to offer and provide railroad 

common carrier service, which GCDR would retain. 

• Respondents: Registrants for the 

Foreign Service Officer Test. 

• Estimated Number of Respondents: 

7,000. 

• Estimated Number of Responses: 

7,000. 

• Average Time per Response: 2 

hours. 

• Total Estimated Burden Time: 

14,000 hours. 

• Frequency: Annually. 

• Obligation to Respond: Required to 

Obtain or Retain a Benefit. 

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 

Individuals registering for the Foreign 

Service Officer Test will complete a 

Registration Form, asking for their 

name, contact information, ethnicity, 

education and work history, and 

military experience. The information 

will be used to prepare and issue 

admission to the Foreign Service Officer 

Test, to provide data useful for 

improving future tests, and to conduct 

research studies based on the test 

results. 

Methodology 

The registration process, which 

includes concurrent application 

submission and seat selection, opens 

approximately four (4) weeks prior to 

each testing window. To register, 

individuals go to pearsonvue.com/fsot/ 

during the four-week period prior to a 

specific testing window to create an 

account, submit completed eligibility 

verification and application forms, and 

select a location and seat for the specific 

test date. 

Yolonda Kerney, 

Acting Director, GTM/TAC/BEX, Department 

of State. 

[FR Doc. 2024–20840 Filed 9–12–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4710–15–P 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD 

[Docket No. FD 36808] 

Georges Creek Division Railroad, 

LLC—Lease and Operation 

Exemption—Eighteen Thirty Group, 

LLC 

Georges Creek Division Railroad, LLC 

(GCDR), a noncarrier, has filed a verified 

notice of exemption under 49 CFR part 

1150, subpart D, to lease and conduct 

common carrier operations over 

approximately 14.49 miles of rail line as 

follows: (a) 13.94 miles of railroad line 

consisting of a portion of the former 

CSXT Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) 

Georges Creek Subdivision between 

approximately milepost BAI 31.6 at 

Westernport, Md., and approximately 

milepost BAI 18.46 at the end of the line 

at Carlos/Shaft, Md.; and (b) 0.55 miles 

of railroad consisting of a portion of the 

former CSXT Thomas Subdivision from 

approximately milepost BAH 26.25 at 

Barton, Md., to the end of track at 

approximately milepost BAH 26.80 at 

Westernport (collectively, the Lines). 

According to the verified notice, the 

Lines are owned by Eighteen Thirty 

Group, LLC (Eighteen Thirty). The 

verified notice states that GCDR and 

Eighteen Thirty are finalizing a Land 

and Rail Assets Lease Agreement 

(Lease), under which GCDR will assume 

the right and obligation to offer and 

provide railroad common carrier service 

over the Lines. Furthermore, the verified 

notice states that the Lease will permit 

GCDR to enter into a land and rail assets 

sublease agreement with Western 

Maryland Scenic Railroad Development 

Corporation (WMSR), the noncarrier 

that controls GCDR, to enable WMSR to 

operate intrastate excursion and railroad 

tourism over the Lines.1

GCDR certifies that its projected 

annual revenue will not result in the 

creation of a Class I or Class II rail 

carrier and will not exceed $5 million. 

GCDR also certifies that the agreement 

does not include an interchange 

commitment. The transaction may be 

consummated on or after September 28, 

2024, the effective date of the exemption 

(30 days after the verified notice was 

filed). 

If the verified 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 will not 

automatically stay the effectiveness of 

the exemption. Petitions for stay must 

be filed no later than September 20, 

2024 (at least seven days before the 

exemption becomes effective). 

All pleadings, referring to Docket No. 

FD 36808, must be filed with the 

Surface Transportation Board either via 

e-filing on the Board’s website or in 

writing addressed to 395 E Street SW, 

Washington, DC 20423–0001. In 

addition, a copy of each pleading must 

be served on GCDR’s representative, 

Robert A. Wimbish, Fletcher & Sippel 

LLC, 29 North Wacker Drive, Suite 800, 

Chicago, IL 60606–3208. 

According to GCDR, this action is 

categorically excluded from 

environmental review under 49 CFR 

1105.6(c) and from historic preservation 

reporting requirements under 49 CFR 

1105.8(b). 

Board decisions and notices are 

available at www.stb.gov. 

Decided: September 9, 2024. 

By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting 

Director, Office of Proceedings. 

Zantori Dickerson, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2024–20762 Filed 9–12–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD 

[Docket No. FD 35508 (Sub-No. 2)] 

Iowa Northern Railway Company— 

Lease Renewal Exemption—North 

Central Iowa Rail Corridor, LLC 

Iowa Northern Railway Company 

(IANR) has filed a verified notice of 

exemption under 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(4) 

for the further renewal of its lease of the 

railroad property of North Central Iowa 

Rail Corridor, LLC (NCIRC), between 

milepost 48.12 at Belmond, Iowa, and 

milepost 75.95 at Forest City, Iowa, and 

600 feet of connecting track at Garner, 

Iowa (the Line). 

According to the verified notice, in 

2011, IANR leased the Line from NCIRC 

for an initial term of ten years, pursuant 

to a lease and purchase agreement. See 

Iowa N. Ry.—Operation Exemption—N. 

Cent. Rail Corridor, LLC, FD 35508 (STB 

served May 26, 2011). In 2021, IANR 

extended the term of the lease three 

additional years, to September 30, 2024. 


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