Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 97 / Thursday, May 18, 2000 / Notices 31631

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Docket No. AB–57 (Sub–No. 51)]

Soo Line Railroad Company—

Abandonment—in Roberts County, SD

On April 28, 2000, Soo Line Railroad

Company, d/b/a Canadian Pacific

Railway (Soo) filed with the Surface

Transportation Board (Board) an

application for permission to abandon a

portion of its line of railroad known as

the Veblen Line, extending from

milepost 208.8 near Rosholt to the end

of the line at milepost 228.2 west of

Claire City, a distance of 19.4 miles, in

Roberts County, SD. The line includes

the stations of Victor (milepost 213.8),

New Effington (milepost 218.3),

Hammer (milepost 223.4), Claire City

(milepost 227.3), and Veblen (milepost

236.3), and traverses U.S. Postal Service

ZIP Codes 57260, 57255, and 57224.

The line does not contain federally

granted rights-of-way. Any

documentation in Soo’s possession will

be made available promptly to those

requesting it. The applicant’s entire case

for abandonment (case-in-chief) was

filed with the application.

The line of railroad has appeared on

Soo’s system diagram map or has been

included in its narrative in category 1

since 1998.

The interest of railroad employees

will be protected by Oregon Short Line

R. Co.—Abandonment—Goshen, 360

I.C.C. 91 (1979).

Any interested person may file with

the Board written comments concerning

the proposed abandonment or protests

(including the protestant’s entire

opposition case), by June 12, 2000. All

interested persons should be aware that,

following any abandonment of rail

service and salvage of the line, the line

may be suitable for other public use,

including interim trail use. Any request

for a public use condition under 49

U.S.C. 10905 (49 CFR 1152.28) or for a

trail use condition under 16 U.S.C.

1247(d) (49 CFR 1152.29) must be filed

by June 12, 2000. Each trail use request

must be accompanied by a $150 filing

fee. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(27).

Applicant’s reply to any opposition

statements and its response to trail use

requests must be filed by June 27, 2000.

See 49 CFR 1152.26(a).

Persons opposing the abandonment

that wish to participate actively and

fully in the process should file a protest.

Persons who may oppose the

abandonment but who do not wish to

participate fully in the process by

appearing at any oral hearings or by

submitting verified statements of

witnesses containing detailed evidence

should file comments. Persons seeking

information concerning the filing of

protests should refer to 49 CFR 1152.25.

Persons interested only in seeking

public use or trail use conditions should

also file comments.

In addition, a commenting party or

protestant may provide:

(i) An offer of financial assistance

(OFA) for continued rail service under

49 U.S.C. 10904 (due 120 days after the

application is filed or 10 days after the

application is granted by the Board,

whichever occurs sooner);

(ii) Recommended provisions for

protection of the interests of employees;

(iii) A request for a public use

condition under 49 U.S.C. 10905; and

(iv) A statement pertaining to

prospective use of the right-of-way for

interim trail use and rail banking under

16 U.S.C. 1247(d) and 49 CFR 1152.29.

All filings in response to this notice

must indicate the proceeding

designation STB Docket No. AB–57

(Sub-No. 51) and must be sent to: (1)

Surface Transportation Board, Office of

the Secretary, Case Control Unit, 1925 K

Street, NW, Washington, DC 20423–

0001; and (2) Diane P. Gerth, Leonard,

Street, and Deinard, 150 South Fifth

Street, Suite 2300, Minneapolis, MN

55402. The original and 10 copies of all

comments or protests shall be filed with

the Board with a certificate of service.

Except as otherwise set forth in part

1152, every document filed with the

Board must be served on all parties to

the abandonment proceeding. 49 CFR

1104.12(a).

The line sought to be abandoned will

be available for subsidy or sale for

continued rail use, if the Board decides

to permit the abandonment in

accordance with applicable laws and

regulations (49 U.S.C. 10904 and 49 CFR

1152.27). Each OFA must be

accompanied by a $1,000 filing fee. See

49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25). No subsidy

arrangement approved under 49 U.S.C.

10904 shall remain in effect for more

than 1 year unless otherwise mutually

agreed by the parties (49 U.S.C.

10904(f)(4)(B)). Applicant will promptly

provide upon request to each interested

party an estimate of the subsidy and

minimum purchase price required to

keep the line in operation. The carrier’s

representative to whom inquiries may

be made concerning sale or subsidy

terms is set forth above.

Persons seeking further information

concerning abandonment procedures

may contact the Board’s Office of Public

Services at (202) 565–1592 or refer to

the full abandonment regulations at 49

CFR part 1152. Questions concerning

environmental issues may be directed to

the Board’s Section of Environmental

Analysis (SEA) at (202) 565–1545. [TDD

for the hearing impaired is available at

1–800–877–8339.]

An environmental assessment (EA) (or

environmental impact statement (EIS), if

necessary) prepared by SEA will be

served upon all parties of record and

upon any agencies or other persons who

commented during its preparation.

Other interested persons may contact

SEA to obtain a copy of the EA (or EIS).

EAs in abandonment proceedings

normally will be made available within

33 days of the filing of the application.

The deadline for submission of

comments on the EA will generally be

within 30 days of its service. The

comments received will be addressed in

the Board’s decision. A supplemental

EA or EIS may be issued where

appropriate.

Board decisions and notices are

available on our website at

‘‘WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.’’

Decided: May 10, 2000.

By the Board, David M. Konschnik,

Director, Office of Proceedings.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 00–12308 Filed 5–17–00; 8:45 am]

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