[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 27, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 71037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-28477]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Docket No. AB 1117X]


St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad Company--Discontinuance of 
Service Exemption--in Cumberland County, Me.

    On November 8, 2013, St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railroad Company (SLR) 
filed with the Surface Transportation Board (Board) a petition under 49 
U.S.C. 10502 for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 
U.S.C. 10903 to discontinue service over approximately 24.23 miles of 
rail line, owned by the State of Maine, between milepost 1.74 near 
Deering, Cumberland County, Me., and milepost 25.97 at the town line 
between New Gloucester, Cumberland County and Auburn, Androscoggin 
County, Me. (the Line).\1\ The Line traverses U.S. Postal Service Zip 
Codes 04101, 04102, 04103, 04104, 04105, 04096, and 04069. According to 
the petition, the Line is stub-ended and therefore not capable of 
handling overhead traffic.
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    \1\ SLR owns an exclusive, perpetual freight easement over the 
Line. See Maine--Petition for Declaratory Order, FD 35440 (STB 
served Dec. 29, 2010); Maine--Acquisition Exemption--Certain Assets 
of St. Lawrence & Atl. R.R., FD 35018 (STB served Sept. 13, 2007).
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    There is one shipper on the Line, B&M Beans, and SLR states that 
B&M Beans ships all of its outbound products and some of its inbound 
ingredients by truck. SLR estimates that B&M Beans will ship 12 cars of 
inbound ingredients in the forecast year.\2\
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    \2\ For the purposes of its petition, SLR uses June 1, 2013, 
through May 31, 2014, as the forecast year.
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    SLR states that, based on information in its possession, the Line 
does not contain any federally granted rights-of-way. Any documentation 
in SLR's possession will be made available promptly to those requesting 
it.
    The interests of railroad employees will be protected by the 
conditions set forth in Oregon Short Line Railroad--Abandonment Portion 
Goshen Branch Between Firth & Ammon, in Bingham & Bonneville Counties, 
Idaho, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979).
    By issuance of this notice, the Board is instituting an exemption 
proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final decision will be 
issued by February 26, 2014.
    Because this is a discontinuance proceeding and not an abandonment, 
interim trail use/rail banking, and public use conditions are not 
appropriate. Similarly, no environmental or historic documentation is 
required under 49 CFR 1105.6(c)(2) and 1105.8(b).
    Any offer of financial assistance (OFA) under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) 
to subsidize continued rail service will be due no later than March 7, 
2014, or 10 days after service of a decision granting the petition for 
exemption, whichever occurs sooner. Each offer must be accompanied by a 
$1,600 filing fee. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25).
    All filings in response to this notice must refer to Docket No. AB 
1117X and must be sent to: (1) Surface Transportation Board, 395 E 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, and (2) Eric M. Hocky, Clark 
Hill Thorp Reed, One Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 1000, 
Philadelphia, PA 19103. Replies to the petition are due on or before 
December 17, 2013.
    Persons seeking further information concerning discontinuance 
procedures may contact the Board's Office of Public Assistance, 
Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245-0238 or refer to the 
full abandonment and discontinuance regulations at 49 CFR part 1152. 
Questions concerning environmental issues may be directed to the 
Board's Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) at (202) 245-0305. 
Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at 
``WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.''

    Decided: November 21, 2013.
    By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2013-28477 Filed 11-26-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P