§11162. Cost accounting principles

(a) Within two years after the effective date of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, the Railroad Accounting Principles Board shall establish, for rail carriers providing transportation subject to the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission under subchapter I of chapter 105 of this title, principles governing the determination of economically accurate railroad costs directly and indirectly associated with particular movements of goods, including the variable costs associated with particular movements of goods or such other costs as the Board believes most accurately represent the economic costs of such movements. Such principles shall govern the determination of all railroad costs for specific regulatory proceedings under this subtitle.

(b) In developing cost accounting principles under this section, the Board shall take into account the following considerations:

(1) The specific regulatory purposes for which railroad costs are required.

(2) The degree of accuracy of the cost information which is needed to meet regulatory purposes.

(3) The existing capability and the probable future capability of rail carriers to provide such information and the relative benefits and costs of requiring development of additional capability.

(4) The means by which the degree of economic accuracy required can be obtained at the least possible expense and with the least possible information reporting.

(5) The means by which the confidentiality of such costs can best be maintained while meeting the need for such information in regulatory proceedings.

(c) The cost accounting principles established by the Board shall require that cost information be reported or disclosed only for the essential regulatory purposes defined by the Board.

(Added Pub. L. 96–448, title III, §302(a), Oct. 14, 1980, 94 Stat. 1935 ; amended Pub. L. 103–272, §4(j)(30), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1370 .)

References in Text

The effective date of the Staggers Rail Act of 1980, referred to in subsec. (a), probably means Oct. 1, 1980, the general effective date of Pub. L. 96–448. See section 710 of Pub. L. 96–448, set out as an Effective Date of 1980 Amendment note under section 10101 of this title.

Amendments

1994-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–272 substituted "proceedings under this subtitle" for "proceedings under this title".

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in sections 11163, 11166 of this title.