[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 187 (Friday, September 26, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 50655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-25641]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board <SUP>1</SUP>
[Finance Docket No. 32530]


Kansas City Southern Railway Company--Construction and Operation 
Exemption--Geismar Industrial Area Near Gonzales and Sorrento, 
Louisiana

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.

    \1\ The ICC Termination Act of 1995, Public Law 104-88, 109 
Stat. 803 (the Act), which was enacted on December 29, 1995, and 
took effect on January 1, 1996, abolished the Interstate Commerce 
Commission (ICC) and transferred certain functions and proceedings 
to the Surface Transportation Board (Board). Section 204(b)(1) of 
the Act provides, in general, that proceedings pending before the 
ICC on the effective date of that legislation shall be decided under 
the law in effect prior to January 1, 1996, insofar as they involve 
functions retained by the Act. This notice relates to a proceeding 
that was pending with the ICC prior to January 1, 1996, and to 
functions that are subject to Board jurisdiction pursuant to section 
49 U.S.C. 10901. Therefore, this notice applies the law in effect 
prior to the Act, and citations are to the former section of the 
statute, unless otherwise indicated.
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ACTION: Notice of extension of time for comment period for draft 
environmental impact statement (EIS).

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SUMMARY: The Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCS) applied to the 
Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), now the Surface Transportation 
Board (Board), for authority to construct and operate an 8.62-mile rail 
line from the Geismar Industrial area to its mainline near Gonzales and 
Sorrento, in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. On July 16, 1997, the Board's 
Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) issued a draft EIS. Consistent 
with Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for 
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), SEA provided 
a 45-day comment period for the public review of the draft EIS, with 
comments due by September 8, 1997.
    In response to several requests to extend the comment period an 
additional 60 days, SEA granted a 15-day extension for filing comments 
to September 23, 1997.
    The Concerned Citizens of Ascension Parish (CCAP) filed an Appeal 
of SEA's decision and requested the full 60 days sought in their 
original request. As stated in the original extension decision, SEA 
believes that the 45-day comment period specified by CEQ guidelines is 
sufficient in this case. However, in order to allow every opportunity 
for public input into the Board's NEPA process in this case, SEA will 
accept comments to the draft EIS for an additional 14 days past the 
current due date of September 23, 1997. Comments to the draft EIS will 
now be due on October 7, 1997.
    If you wish to file comments on the draft EIS, send an original and 
10 copies to: Vernon A. Williams, Secretary, Surface Transportation 
Board, Suite 700, 1925 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20423. Mark the 
lower left corner of the envelope: Attention: Michael Dalton, 
Environmental Comments, Finance Docket No. 32530.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Dalton, Section of 
Environmental Analysis, Room 528, Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K 
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20423; phone number (202) 565-1530. TDD for 
the hearing impaired: (202) 565-1695.

    By the Board, Elaine K. Kaiser, Chief, Section of Environmental 
Analysis.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-25641 Filed 9-25-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P