[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 37 (Friday, February 26, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 11821]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-03957]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. FD 36355]


Louisiana Southern Railroad, L.L.C.--Lease & Operation Exemption 
With Interchange Commitment--The Kansas City Southern Railway Company

    Louisiana Southern Railroad, L.L.C. (LAS), a Class III rail 
carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41 
to continue to lease from the Kansas City Southern Railway Company 
(KCS) and operate approximately 165.8 miles of rail lines extending: 
(1) Between a point 1,600 feet south of Highway 80 near Gibsland, La., 
and milepost B-192, near Pineville, La.; (2) on the Sibley Branch, 
between milepost 83.5, at Sibley, La., and milepost 78.8, at Minden, 
La.; (3) between milepost 49.6, near Cullen, La., and milepost 78.8, at 
Minden; and (4) between milepost 78.8, at Minden, and milepost B-102, 
near Bossier, La., on the Hope Subdivision (the Lines).\1\
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    \1\ According to the verified notice, LAS has operated the Lines 
since 2005. See La. S. R.R.--Lease & Operation Exemption--Kan. City 
S. Ry., FD 34751 (STB served Oct. 7, 2005); La. S. R.R.--Lease & 
Operation Exemption Including Interchange Commitment--Kan. City S. 
Ry., FD 35983 (STB served Feb. 5, 2016).
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    LAS states that it and KCS executed amendments on July 20, 2020 
(Amendments), to the Amended and Restated Lease Agreements from 2016 
(Restated Leases) \2\ currently governing LAS's lease and operation of 
the Lines. The Amendments extend the terms of the Restated Leases to 
November 30, 2034.
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    \2\ Copies of the Restated Leases and Amendments with the 
interchange commitments were submitted under seal. See 49 CFR 
1150.43(h)(1).
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    LAS states that the Restated Leases contain interchange commitments 
and that the affected interchanges are with Louisiana and North West 
Railroad Company, LLC, at Gibsland and Union Pacific Railroad Company 
(UP) at Tioga, La., both of which are located on the Gibsland-Pineville 
line segment, and with UP at Bossier City, La. (on the Hope 
Subdivision). Accordingly, LAS has provided additional information 
regarding the interchange commitments, as required by 49 CFR 
1150.43(h). LAS states that it will continue to be the operator of the 
Lines.
    LAS certifies that its projected annual revenues as a result of 
this transaction will not result in LAS's becoming a Class II or Class 
I rail carrier, but that its current annual revenues exceed, and are 
expected to continue to exceed, $5 million. Pursuant to 49 CFR 
1150.42(e), if a carrier's projected annual revenues will exceed $5 
million, it must, at least 60 days before this exemption is to become 
effective, post a notice of its intent to undertake the proposed 
transaction at the workplace of the employees on the affected lines, 
serve a copy of the notice on the national offices of the labor unions 
with employees on the affected lines, and certify to the Board that it 
has done so. However, LAS has filed a petition for waiver of the 60-day 
advance labor notice requirements. LAS's waiver request will be 
addressed in a separate decision. The Board will establish the 
effective date of the exemption in its separate decision on the waiver 
request.
    If the notice contains false or misleading information, the 
exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 
U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of a petition to 
revoke will not automatically stay the effectiveness of the exemption. 
Petitions for stay must be filed no later than March 5, 2021.
    All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36355, should be filed 
with the Surface Transportation Board via e-filing on the Board's 
website. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be served on LAS's 
representative, Bradon J. Smith, Fletcher & Sippel LLC, 29 North Wacker 
Drive, Suite 800, Chicago, IL 60606.
    According to LAS, this action is categorically excluded from 
environmental review under 49 CFR 1105.6(c) and from historic 
preservation reporting requirements under 49 CFR 1105.8(b).
    Board decisions and notices are available at www.stb.gov.

    Decided: February 22, 2021.

    By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Tammy Lowey,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2021-03957 Filed 2-25-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P