(a) Contents of subpart. (1) 49 U.S.C. 10904 directs the Board to determine the extent to which the avoidable costs of providing rail service plus a reasonable return on the value of the line exceed the revenues attributable to the line. This subpart contains the methodology for such determinations and the standards necessary for application of those terms in the context of a particular proceeding. Such data will be used in reaching the Board's findings on the merits of an abandonment or discontinuance proceeding and in making the necessary financial assistance determinations.

(2) This subpart also sets forth a method by which the carrier may establish its Forecast Year estimates and Estimated Subsidy Payment to be included in its application (§ 1152.22(d) of this part). Furthermore, an offeror of financial assistance may use this method to formulate a subsidy offer and/or Proposed Subsidy Payment under 49 U.S.C. 10904 and § 1152.27 of subpart C of this part.

(b) Data collection. The owning or operating carrier shall establish a system to collect at branch level the data necessary to compute the base year data and the final subsidy payment. The collection and compilation of such data shall be in accordance with the Branch Line Accounting System (49 CFR part 1201, subpart B).

(c) Final payment of financial assistance. (1) When a financial assistance agreement to subsidize is concluded, the final payment will be adjusted to reflect the actual revenues derived, avoidable costs incurred, and value of the properties used in the subsidy year.

(2) Where an adjustment results in an increase in the Estimated Subsidy Payment upon which the financial assistance agreement is based, the amount of such increase is limited to 15 percent of the estimated payment. However, if the railroad notifies the subsidizer that the estimate will be exceeded by more than 15 percent in one of the Financial Status Reports (§ 1152.37) issued during the first 10 months of the subsidy year or the increase results from an expense preapproved by the subsidizer, the adjusted amount shall be included in the final payment.