Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 195 / Tuesday, October 8, 2024 / Notices 81615 

In its petition, BNSF asks the Board 

to partially revoke the exemption as 

necessary to permit the trackage rights 

to expire at midnight on December 31, 

2024, pursuant to the parties’ 

agreement. (See BNSF Pet. 1–2); see also 

BNSF Verified Notice of Exemption, Ex. 

B at 2, BNSF Ry.—Trackage Rts. 

Exemption—Union Pac. R.R., FD 36377 

(Sub-No. 8). BNSF argues that granting 

this petition will promote the rail 

transportation policy at 49 U.S.C. 10101 

and that the partial revocation would be 

consistent with the limited scope of the 

transaction and would not have an 

adverse effect on shippers. (BNSF Pet. 

3.) In addition, BNSF asserts that the 

Board has granted similar petitions for 

partial revocation to permit temporary 

trackage rights to expire, including 

petitions involving prior iterations of 

the trackage rights agreement at issue 

here. (Id. at 3–4.) 

Discussion and Conclusions 

Although BNSF and UP have 

expressly agreed on the duration of the 

proposed trackage rights agreement, 

trackage rights approved under the class 

exemption at 49 CFR 1180.2(d)(7) 

typically remain effective indefinitely, 

regardless of any contract provisions. At 

times, however, the Board has partially 

revoked a trackage rights exemption to 

allow those rights to expire after a 

limited time rather than lasting in 

perpetuity. See, e.g., BNSF Ry.— 

Trackage Rts. Exemption—Union Pac. 

R.R., FD 6377 (Sub-No. 7) (STB served 

February 24, 2023) (granting a petition 

to partially revoke a trackage rights 

exemption involving the Lines at issue 

in this case); New Orleans Pub. Belt 

R.R.—Trackage Rts. Exemption—Ill. 

Cent. R.R., FD 36198 (Sub-No. 1) (STB 

served June 20, 2018). 

Granting partial revocation in these 

circumstances to permit the trackage 

rights to expire at the end of 2024 would 

eliminate the need for BNSF to file a 

second pleading seeking discontinuance 

authority when the agreement expires, 

thereby promoting the aspects of the rail 

transportation policy at 49 U.S.C. 

10101(2), (7), and (15). Moreover, 

partially revoking the exemption to 

limit the term of the trackage rights 

would not result in an abuse of market 

power because the trackage rights at 

issue are solely to allow BNSF to move 

empty and loaded unit ballast trains to 

and from the ballast pit in Elsey for use 

in BNSF’s maintenance-of-way projects. 

(See BNSF Pet. 2.) Therefore, the Board 

will grant the petition and permit the 

trackage rights exempted in Docket No. 

FD 36377 (Sub-No. 8) to expire at 

midnight on December 31, 2024. 

To provide the statutorily mandated 

protection to any employee adversely 

affected by the discontinuance of 

trackage rights, the Board will impose 

the employee protective conditions set 

forth in Oregon Short Line Railroad— 

Abandonment Portion Goshen Branch 

Between Firth & Ammon, in Bingham & 

Bonneville Counties, Idaho, 360 I.C.C. 

91 (1979). 

This action is categorically excluded 

from environmental review under 49 

CFR 1105.6(c). 

It is ordered: 

1. The petition for partial revocation 

of the trackage rights class exemption is 

granted. 

2. As discussed above, the trackage 

rights in Docket No. FD 36377 (Sub-No. 

8) are permitted to expire at midnight 

on December 31, 2024, subject to the 

employee protective conditions set forth 

in Oregon Short Line. 

3. Notice of this decision will be 

published in the Federal Register. 

4. This decision is effective on 

November 7, 2024. Petitions for stay 

must be filed by October 18, 2024. 

Petitions for reconsideration must be 

filed by October 28, 2024. 

Decided: October 3, 2024. 

By the Board, Board Members Fuchs, 

Hedlund, Primus, and Schultz. 

Eden Besera, 

Clearance Clerk. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23254 Filed 10–7–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4915–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY 

Internal Revenue Service 

Appointment of Members of the Legal 

Division to the Performance Review 

Board, Internal Revenue Service 

Under the authority granted to me as 

Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue 

Service by the General Counsel of the 

Department of the Treasury by General 

Counsel Directive 15, pursuant to the 

Civil Service Reform Act, I have 

appointed the following persons to the 

Legal Division Performance Review 

Board, Internal Revenue Service Panel: 

1. Drita Tonuzi, Deputy Chief Counsel 

(Operations) 

2. Paul T. Butler, Associate Chief 

Counsel (Procedures and 

Administration) 

3. Robin Greenhouse, Division Counsel 

(Large Business and International) 

4. Edith M. Shine, Associate Chief 

Counsel (Finance and Management) 

5. Holly A. Porter, Associate Chief 

Counsel (Passthroughs and Special 

Industries) 

Alternate: Mark L. Hulse, Division 

Counsel (Tax Exempt and 

Government Entities) 

This publication is required by 5 

U.S.C. 4314(c)(4). 

Marjorie A. Rollinson, 

Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23233 Filed 10–7–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY 

Internal Revenue Service 

Appointment of Members of the Legal 

Division to the Performance Review 

Board, Internal Revenue Service 

Under the authority granted to me as 

Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue 

Service by the General Counsel of the 

Department of the Treasury by General 

Counsel Directive 15, pursuant to the 

Civil Service Reform Act, I have 

appointed the following persons to the 

Legal Division Performance Review 

Board, Internal Revenue Service Panel: 

1. Eric S. Nguyen, Deputy General 

Counsel, Department of the 

Treasury—Chair 

2. Elizabeth P. Askey, Deputy Chief 

Appeals, Independent Office of 

Appeals (IRS) 

3. Melanie R. Krause, Chief Operating 

Officer, (IRS) 

Alternate: Douglas W. O’Donnell, 

Deputy Commissioner (IRS) 

This publication is required by 5 

U.S.C. 4314(c)(4). 

Marjorie A. Rollinson, 

Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23234 Filed 10–7–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4830–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Advisory Committee on the 

Readjustment of Veterans, Notice of 

Meeting 

The Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA) gives notice under the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. ch. 

10., that the Advisory Committee on the 

Readjustment of Veterans will meet in 

person on November 5, 2024–November 

6, 2024 at the Lafayette Building, 811 

Vermont Avenue NW, Conference Room 

3166, Washington, DC 20009. The 

sessions will begin and end as follows: 


ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
81616 Federal Register / Vol. 89, No. 195 / Tuesday, October 8, 2024 / Notices 

Dates Times 

Tuesday, November 5, 

2024.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. eastern 

standard time (EST). 

Wednesday, November 

6, 2024.

8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. 

The meeting sessions are open to the 

public. 

The purpose of the Committee is to 

advise the VA regarding the provision 

by VA of benefits and services to assist 

Veterans in the readjustment to civilian 

life. The Committee, comprised of 14 

subject matter experts, advises the 

Secretary through the VA Readjustment 

Counseling Service. In carrying out this 

duty, the Committee shall take into 

account the needs of Veterans who 

served in combat theaters of operation. 

On November 5, 2024, and November 

6, 2024, the Committee will meet to 

assemble, review, and assess 

information relating to the needs of 

Veterans readjusting to civilian life and 

the effectiveness of VA services in 

assisting Veterans in that readjustment. 

They will also receive updated briefings 

on various VA programs to further their 

ability to discuss and explore potential 

recommendations to be included in the 

next annual report. 

Time will be allotted for the public to 

provide comments starting at 4 p.m. 

EST and ending no later than 4:30 p.m. 

EST. The comment period may end 

sooner, if there are no comments 

presented or they are exhausted before 

the end time. Individuals interested in 

providing comments during the public 

comment period are allowed no more 

than three minutes for their statements. 

Additionally, the Committee will accept 

written comments from interested 

parties on issues outlined in the meeting 

agenda or other issues regarding the 

readjustment of Veterans. Parties should 

contact Mr. Joshua Mathis, via email at 

Joshua.Mathis@va.gov or by mail at 

Department of Veterans Affairs, 

Readjustment Counseling Service 

(10RCS), 810 Vermont Avenue, 

Washington, DC 20420. 

Any member of the public seeking 

additional information should contact 

Mr. Mathis at the email address noted 

above. 

Dated: October 2, 2024. 

Jelessa M. Burney, 

Federal Advisory Committee Management 

Officer. 

[FR Doc. 2024–23169 Filed 10–7–24; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 8320–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 

AFFAIRS 

Privacy Act of 1974; Matching Program 

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs 

(VA). 

ACTION: Notice of a new matching 

program. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, VA is 

providing notice of a new matching 

program between VA and the 

Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) Centers for Medicare & 

Medicaid Services (CMS) entitled 

‘‘Disclosure of Information to Support 

the Veterans Affairs’ ‘‘Seek to Prevent 

Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Initiative.’’ 

DATES: Comments on this matching 

program must be received no later than 

November 7, 2024. If no public 

comment is received during the period 

allowed for comment or unless 

otherwise published in the Federal 

Register by VA, the new agreement will 

become effective a minimum of 30 days 

after date of publication in the Federal 

Register. If VA receives public 

comments, VA shall review the 

comments to determine whether any 

changes to the notice are necessary. This 

matching program will be valid for 18 

months from the effective date of this 

notice. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be 

submitted through www.Regulations.gov 

or mailed to VA Privacy Service, 810 

Vermont Avenue NW, (005X6F), 

Washington, DC 20420. Comments 

should indicate that they are submitted 

in response to ‘‘Disclosure of 

Information to Support the Veteran 

Affairs’ Seek to Prevent Fraud, Waste, 

and Abuse Initiative.’’ Comments 

received will be available at 

regulations.gov for public viewing, 

inspection, or copies. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Elizabeth Morales, Director, VA Office 

of Business Oversight Program Integrity 

Office, 1615 Woodward Street, Austin, 

TX 78772, (512) 673–8960. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

Agreement establishes the terms, 

conditions, and procedures under 

which CMS will provide certain data to 

VA that supports the VA’s Seek to 

Prevent Fraud, Waste, and Abuse 

initiative. The data will be provided 

from CMS’ database of enrolled 

Medicare providers and suppliers 

(System of Records Notice [SORN] No. 

09–70–0532, Provider Enrollment, 

Chain, and Ownership System 

[PECOS]). Using PECOS data in a 

matching program for this purpose will 

provide VA prompt access to extant 

information, using an efficient process 

that both eliminates the need to 

manually compare substantial numbers 

of data-intensive files and enables VA to 

leverage, instead of duplicating, the 

costly Advance Provider Screening 

process that CMS uses to check 

suitability of Medicare providers and 

generate the data in PECOS. 

Participating Agencies: VA and CMS. 

Authority for Conducting the 

Matching Program: This Agreement is 

executed pursuant to the Privacy Act (5 

United Stated Code [U.S.C.] 552a) and 

the regulations and guidance 

promulgated thereunder; Office of 

Management and Budget (OMB) 

Circular A–108, Federal Agency 

Responsibilities for Review, Reporting, 

and Publication under the Privacy Act, 

published at 81 Federal Register (FR) 

94424 (December 23, 2016); and OMB 

guidelines pertaining to computer 

matching published at 54 FR 25818 

(June 19, 1989). Title 38 U.S.C. 7301(b) 

states that the primary function of VA 

is to provide a complete medical and 

hospital service for the care of eligible 

Veterans. In carrying out this function, 

including through contracts with 

external entities and providers, VA has 

an obligation to (1) ensure providers 

furnish care that is appropriate and safe 

and meets or exceeds professional 

standards for quality and (2), in the case 

of external providers, maintain billing 

integrity and compliance with 

contractual terms. 

Purpose(s): Under this matching 

program, VA internal and external 

providers will be matched against the 

database of Medicare providers and 

suppliers who have been revoked by 

CMS pursuant to 42 Code of Federal 

Regulations (CFR) section 424.535. VA 

intends to review the information 

provided, perform additional validation, 

and if deemed appropriate, conduct 

further investigation, or refer the matter 

to the VA Office of the Inspector 

General (OIG) for further investigation. 

Based on additional validation or 

investigation, should VA determine VA 

program requirements have been 

violated, VA intends to take action (or 

refer to the OIG for action) against the 

VA internal and external providers. 

Such action may be based on activities 

that endanger VA patients and/or reflect 

improper or erroneous billing practices 

related to claims for health care 

provided to VA beneficiaries. Actions 

VA may take include (1) terminating or 

modifying existing contractual or 

provider agreements; (2) stopping 

referral of VA patients to the VA 

external providers; (3) referring the VA 

internal and external providers to the 


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