[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 248 (Monday, December 28, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 80878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-32566]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Docket No. FD 35802]


Northwest Tennessee Regional Port Authority--Construction and 
Operation Exemption--in Lake County, TN

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Issuance of Draft Environmental Assessment; Request for 
Comments.

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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board's (Board) Office of 
Environmental Analysis (OEA) has prepared an Environmental Assessment 
(EA) in response to a petition for exemption filed on June 27, 2014 by 
the Northwest Tennessee Regional Port Authority (NWTRPA) to construct 
and operate an approximately 5.5 mile line of railroad in Lake County, 
Tennessee. The proposed rail line would connect the Port of Cates 
Landing, a river port located on the Mississippi River, with an 
existing line of railroad operated by the Tennken Railroad at a 
connection near Tiptonville, Tennessee. The proposed rail line would 
provide rail service to customers at the Port of Cates Landing and at 
the Lake County Industrial Park, a proposed industrial park located 
adjacent to the Port of Cates Landing.
    The EA evaluates the potential environmental impacts of three 
alternative rail alignments, as well as the No Action Alternative and 
preliminarily concludes that construction of the proposed rail line 
connection would have no significant environmental impacts if the Board 
imposes and NWTRPA implements the recommended mitigation measures set 
forth in the EA. The entire EA is available on the Board's Web site 
(www.stb.dot.gov) by clicking on the ''Decisions & Notices'' button 
that appears in the drop down menu for ``ELIBRARY,'' and searching by 
Service Date (December 28, 2015) or Docket Number (FD 35802).

DATES: The EA is available for public review and comment. Comments must 
be postmarked by January 27, 2016. OEA will consider and respond to 
comments received on the Draft EA in the Final EA. The Board will issue 
a final decision on the proposed transaction after issuance of the 
Final EA.
    Filing Environmental Comments: Comments submitted by mail should be 
addressed to: Josh Wayland, Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20423. Comments on the Draft EA may also be filed 
electronically on the Board's Web site, www.stb.dot.gov, by clicking on 
the ``E FILING'' link. Please refer Docket No. FD 35802 in all 
comments, including electronic filings.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Josh Wayland by mail at the address 
above, by telephone at 202-245-0330, or by email at 
[email protected].

    By the Board, Victoria Rutson, Director, Office of Environmental 
Analysis.
Tia Delano,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2015-32566 Filed 12-24-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P