[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 126 (Friday, June 28, 1996)] [Notices] [Pages 33795-33796] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 96-16411] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ The ICC Termination Act of 1995, Pub. L. No. 104-88, 109 Stat. 803, which was enacted on December 29, 1995, and took effect on January 1, 1996, abolished the Interstate Commerce Commission and transferred certain functions to the Surface Transportation Board (Board). This notice relates to functions that are subject to the Board's jurisdiction pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10903. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- [STB Docket No. AB-167 (Sub-No. 1161X)] Consolidated Rail Corporation--Abandonment Exemption--in Vermilion and Champaign Counties, IL Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) has filed a notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1152 Subpart F--Exempt Abandonments to abandon approximately 24.50 miles of its line of railroad known as the Pekin Secondary Track from approximately milepost 4.00 to approximately milepost 28.50 in Vermilion and Champaign Counties, IL.2 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ A Conrail line from milepost 28.50 at Urbana, to milepost 78.3 at Bloomington, is the subject of a pending petition for exemption in Norfolk and Western Railway Company--Purchase and Operate--Consolidated Rail Corporation--in Urbana to Peoria, IL, STB Finance Docket No. 32957. By letter filed June 19, 1996, the Champaign County Administrative Services (County) filed a comment expressing concern about the proposed abandonment's effects on planned industrial areas on the east side of the City of Urbana and the elevator at Fulls Siding. While the County appears to oppose abandonment, its position is not altogether clear. Should it wish to seek specific relief from the Board, it may file a petition for stay or for other relief on or before the dates specified in this notice. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conrail has certified that: (1) No local traffic has moved over the line for at least 2 years; (2) any overhead traffic on the line can be rerouted; (3) no formal complaint filed by a user of rail service on the line (or by a state or local government entity acting on behalf of such user) regarding cessation of service over the line either is pending with the Board or with any U.S. District Court or has been decided in favor of complainant within the 2-year period; and (4) the requirements at 49 CFR 1105.7 (environmental reports), 49 CFR 1105.8 (historic reports), 49 CFR 1105.11 (transmittal letter), 49 CFR 1105.12 (newspaper publication), and 49 CFR 1152.50(d)(1) (notice to governmental agencies) have been met. This exemption is subject to the condition that consummation of the abandonment is contingent upon issuance by the Board of an exemption for the transaction that is the subject of STB Finance Docket No. 32957 and upon the exercise of that exemption by acquisition and operation by Norfolk and Western Railway Company (NW) of the line that is the subject of that proceeding. As a further condition to this exemption, any employee adversely affected by the abandonment shall be protected under Oregon Short Line R. Co.--Abandonment--Goshen, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979). To address whether this condition adequately protects affected employees, a petition for partial revocation under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) must be filed. Provided no formal expression of intent to file an offer of financial assistance (OFA) has been received, this exemption will be effective on July 28, 1996, unless stayed pending reconsideration.3 Petitions to stay that do not involve environmental issues,4 formal expressions of intent to file an OFA under 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(2),5 and trail use/rail banking requests under 49 CFR 1152.29 6 must be filed by July 8, 1996. Petitions to reopen or requests for public use conditions under 49 CFR 1152.28 must be filed by July 18, 1996, with: Office of the Secretary, Case Control Branch, Surface Transportation Board, 1201 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20423. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \3\ Conrail indicates that its intends to consummate abandonment on August 5, 1996, or on the date NW acquires the line between milepost 28.50 and milepost 78.3 and begins operations over it pursuant to the exemption sought in STB Finance Docket No. 32957, whichever is later. \4\ The Board will grant a stay if an informed decision on environmental issues (whether raised by a party or by the Board's Section of Environmental Analysis in its independent investigation) cannot be made before the exemption's effective date. See Exemption of Out-of-Service Rail Lines, 5 I.C.C.2d 377 (1989). Any request for a stay should be filed as soon as possible so that the Board may take appropriate action before the exemption's effective date. \5\ See Exempt. of Rail Abandonment--Offers of Finan. Assist., 4 I.C.C.2d 164 (1987). \6\ The Board will accept late-filed trail use requests so long as the abandonment has not been consummated and the abandoning railroad is willing to negotiate an agreement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A copy of any petition filed with the Board should be sent to applicant's representative: John J. Paylor, Associate General Counsel, Consolidated Rail Corporation, 2001 Market Street--16A, Philadelphia, PA 19101-1416. If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, the exemption is void ab initio. Conrail has filed an environmental report which addresses the abandonment's effects, if any, on the environment and historic resources. The Section of Environmental Analysis [[Page 33796]] (SEA) will issue an environmental assessment (EA) by July 3, 1996. Interested persons may obtain a copy of the EA by writing to SEA (Room 3219, Surface Transportation Board, Washington, DC 20423) or by calling Elaine Kaiser, Chief of SEA, at (202) 927-6248. Comments on environmental and historic preservation matters must be filed within 15 days after the EA becomes available to the public. Environmental, historic preservation, public use, or trail use/rail banking conditions will be imposed, where appropriate, in a subsequent decision. Decided: June 21, 1996. By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of Proceedings. Vernon A. Williams, Secretary. [FR Doc. 96-16411 Filed 6-27 -96; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4915-00-P