(a) Request for accelerated process. After making a good faith effort to resolve its service issue through an informal dispute resolution process or service of the Board, affected shippers or railroads may seek accelerated temporary interim relief under 49 U.S.C. 11123(a) for substantial, measurable deterioration or other demonstrated inadequacy in rail service provided by the incumbent carrier that presents potential imminent significant harm and threatens potentially severe adverse consequences to the petitioner, its customers, or the public. Such emergencies exist when there is a clear and present threat to public health, safety, national defense, or food security, or a high probability of business closures or immediate plant shutdowns. The timing of potential harm and consequences must render potential relief under § 1146.1 ineffective. The relief requested must be feasible and clearly avoid any substantial impairment of the ability of a rail carrier to serve its own customers adequately, or to fulfill its common carrier obligations.

(b) Procedure for accelerated process—(1) Petition for relief. A petitioner seeking accelerated relief must indicate in its petition that it is seeking such relief pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section and must demonstrate circumstances that meet the standard set forth in that paragraph. The petition must include:

(i) A particularized description of the commodities and volumes which would be subject to the requested relief and the timing necessary for such relief, including why potential relief under § 1146.1 would be ineffective;

(ii) A particularized explanation of how the measurable deterioration or other demonstrated inadequacy, absent the requested relief, presents imminent significant harm and threatens potentially severe adverse consequences as specified in paragraph (a) of this section;

(iii) A description of specific and particularized action that could be performed by the incumbent carrier or an alternative carrier and ordered by the Board to relieve the potential harm and adverse consequences;

(iv) A summary description of the efforts taken to resolve the matter prior to filing the petition, which must be verified by a person or persons with knowledge of the efforts taken to resolve the matter; and

(v) Contact information for the incumbent carrier.

(vi) The petition will be limited to five (5) substantive pages, not including the cover page, verifications, or certificate of service.

(2) Staff conference. When the Board receives a petition seeking accelerated relief under paragraph (a) of this section, the petition will be evaluated on its merits by the Board.

(i) After the Board receives the petition for accelerated relief, a telephonic or virtual conference, led by designated Board staff, will be held no sooner than 24 hours after receipt of the filing, but no later than 48 hours after receipt of the filing, if practicable. Designated Board staff may continue to work on the case after the conference.

(ii) Required parties for the conference include the petitioner(s), the incumbent carrier, and any proposed potential alternative carriers and other parties deemed necessary by the Board. Portions of the conference may be closed to certain parties if confidential business information needs to be discussed. The conference will be recorded and later transcribed (with redactions, if necessary), and placed in the public docket of the proceeding.

(iii) If applicable, the incumbent carrier or any alternative carrier shall address at the conference whether the remedy proposed by the petitioner is unsafe, infeasible, or will unreasonably impair the carrier's ability to serve other customers. The Board may order the incumbent carrier to submit, or if no such order is issued, the incumbent carrier may choose to submit, within 24 hours of the completion of the conference, an alternative service plan for the Board to consider. Any alternative carrier may also submit, within 24 hours of the completion of the conference, an alternative service plan for the Board to consider. The Board may choose to receive such information either via written submission or a second virtual or telephonic conference, if practicable.

(3) Board decision. The Board will endeavor to issue an initial decision on the merits of the petition requesting accelerated relief within three (3) business days of the completion of the conference. The Board shall not award relief under this section for more than 20 days, and any relief ordered under this section shall not be extended beyond the 20-day period. A party may petition the Board for subsequent relief under § 1146.1.

(c) Petition for reconsideration. After the Board issues an initial decision on the merits of the petition requesting accelerated relief, parties may petition the Board for reconsideration. The petition for reconsideration will be subject to § 1115.3 of this chapter. The record is to include any filings by the parties in the proceeding and the unredacted recording of the conference.

(d) Stay of relief. Notwithstanding § 1115.3 of this chapter, parties seeking a stay of the relief issued by the Board must concurrently file a petition for reconsideration of the decision and a petition to stay.

(e) Service. Every document filed with the Board under this section must include a certificate showing simultaneous service upon all parties to the proceeding, including any proposed alternative carriers and the Federal Railroad Administration. One copy must be served on each party. Service on the Board must be made through the e-filing process, and a copy of the e-filed document must be emailed to other parties if that means of service is acceptable to those other parties. If email is not acceptable to the receiving party, a paper copy of the document must be personally served on the other parties. If neither email nor personal service is feasible, service of a paper copy must be by overnight delivery. When a party is represented by a practitioner or attorney, service upon the practitioner is deemed to be service upon the party. All pleadings under this section must also be emailed to [email protected].

[89 FR 4579, Jan. 24, 2024]