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Yesterday, the Surface Transportation Board (STB) announced plans to begin implementing a “grant stamp” procedure for certain routine, unopposed decisions issued by the Office of Proceedings’ director.  To start on Dec. 15, the new procedure will streamline processes, maximize resources, speed service to stakeholders and better serve the public, STB officials said in a prepared statement.

Some of the decisions — in matters such as unopposed motions for extensions of time or requests for a procedural schedule to which all parties have agreed — require little, if any, discussion by the director, they said. In such cases, the director will apply a stamp to the filed pleading rather than prepare a separate decision. The stamped pleading will constitute the board's decision granting the sought relief, STB officials said.