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>From the Surface Transportation Board, Washington, D.C.
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Surface Transportation Board Chairman Daniel R. Elliott III announced today
that the Board will begin holding public oral arguments in major cases.
The oral arguments will give parties an opportunity to directly
address the Board and allow Board members a chance to ask
questions before making a decision. The format will be similar to
oral arguments held in federal appellate courts. While the
proceedings will be open to the public, only counsel for the
parties will be allowed to present argument.
"This is another way to demystify the process," said Elliott, who
has made bringing additional openness and transparency to STB
decision-making a priority. "Hearing from parties directly and
having the opportunity to ask them questions will help us make
better decisions."
Elliott, who was appointed STB Chairman by President Obama in
July, said he plans to review other Board policies and procedures
to make sure they are as inclusive and open as possible. Chairman
Elliott said he plans to make oral arguments a regular part of
the Board's decision process on selected cases. He also plans to
overhaul the Board's Web site, www.stb.dot.gov, to make more
information more readily available to stakeholders and the
public.
"We are doing the public's business and the public should be able
to quickly and easily learn what we are doing,'' Elliott said.
The first scheduled oral argument will be on Oct. 27 at 9:30 a.m.
at STB headquarters at 395 E Street SW in Washington. The Board
will hear argument in Entergy Arkansas, Inc. and Entergy
Services, Inc. v. Union Pacific Railroad Company and Missouri &
Northern Arkansas Railroad Company, Inc., STB Docket No. 42104
and DesertXpress Enterprises, LLC—Petition for Declaratory Order,
STB Finance Docket No. 34914.
The Board has also scheduled oral arguments for Nov. 23, but a
list of cases to be argued then has not been finalized.
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