Code of Federal Regulations Title 49. Transportation § 49.1108.9 Decisions

(a) Decision requirements. Whether by a panel of arbitrators or a single arbitrator, all arbitration decisions shall be in writing and shall contain findings of fact and conclusions of law. All arbitration decisions must be consistent with sound principles of rail regulation economics. The arbitrator shall provide an unredacted draft of the arbitration decision to the parties to the dispute, in accordance with any protective order governing the release of confidential and highly confidential information pursuant to § 1108.7(e).

(b) Redacting arbitration decision. The lead or single arbitrator shall also provide the parties with a draft of the decision that redacts or omits all proprietary business information and confidential information pursuant to any such requests of the parties under the arbitration agreement.

(c) Party input. The parties may then suggest what, if any, additional redactions they think are required to protect against the disclosure of proprietary and confidential information in the decision.

(d) Lead or single arbitrator authority. The lead or single arbitrator shall retain the final authority to determine what, if any, additional redactions are appropriate to make.

(e) Service of arbitration decision. The lead or single arbitrator shall serve copies of the unredacted decision upon the parties in accordance with the timetable and requirements set forth in § 1108.7(c). The lead or single arbitrator shall also serve copies of the redacted decision upon the parties and the Board in accordance with the timetable and requirements set forth in § 1108.7(c). The arbitrator may serve the decision via any service method permitted by the Board's regulations.

(f) Service in the case of an appeal. In the event an arbitration decision is appealed to the Board, the lead or single arbitrator shall, without delay and under seal, serve upon the Board an unredacted copy of the arbitration decision.

(g) Publication of decision. Redacted copies of the arbitration decisions shall be published and maintained on the Board's Web site.

(h) Arbitration decisions are binding. By arbitrating pursuant to these procedures, each party agrees that the decision and award of the arbitrator(s) shall be binding and judicially enforceable in any court of appropriate jurisdiction, subject to the rights of appeal provided in § 1108.11.