STB to hold oral arguments

STB to hold oral arguments    The U.S. Surface Transportation Board, a regulator of railroads and domestic shipping, will hold public oral arguments in major cases.
   “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 STB said. '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 STB Chairman Daniel R. Elliott III. “Hearing from parties directly and having the opportunity to ask them questions will help us make better decisions.”
   The board said Elliott has made bringing additional openness and transparency to STB decision-making a priority. He was appointed STB chairman by President Obama in July, and said he plans to review other board policies and procedures to make sure they are as inclusive and open as possible.
   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 STB Web site 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 St. SW in Washington. The board will hear argument in Entergy Arkansas, Inc. and Entergy Services Inc. v. Union Pacific Railroad Co. and Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad Co. 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.