Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 35 / Friday, February 21, 1997 / Notices 8077

studied with the build alternatives will

be the siting of a new interchange in the

vicinity of 36th Street NW., the addition

of HOV lanes within the existing Rights

of Way whenever possible, and the

addition of toll facilities in the 24th

Street vicinity.

Announcements describing the

proposed action and soliciting

comments will be sent to appropriate

Federal, State and local agencies. These

announcements will also be set to

private organizations and citizens who

have previously expressed or are known

to have interest in this proposal. A

series of public scoping meetings will be

held in Tacoma, Gig Harbor, and on the

Kitsap Peninsula on March 11th, 12th,

13th, 18th, and 19th 1997. In addition,

a public hearing on the Draft EIS will be

held. Public notice will be given of the

time and place of these meetings and of

the hearing. The draft EIS will be

available for public and agency review

and comment prior to the public

hearing.

It is important that the full range of

issues related to this proposed action be

addressed and that all significant issues

be identified. To ensure this, comments

and suggestions are invited from all

interested parties. Comments or

questions concerning this proposed

action and the EIS should be directed to

the FHWA at the address and phone

number provided above. (Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance Program

Number 20.205, Highway Research,

Planning and Construction. The

regulations implementing Executive

Order 12372 regarding

intergovernmental consultation on

Federal programs and activities apply to

this program.)

Issued on February 14, 1997.

Jose ́ M. Miranda,

Environmental Program Manager, Olympia,

Washington.

[FR Doc. 97–4332 Filed 2–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–22–M

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Ex Parte No. 546]

Surface Transportation Board—1997

Office Relocation Business Plan

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation

Board (the Board) is scheduled to

relocate over the weekend of March 15–

16, 1997. The Board is giving notice of

pre-location and post-location

procedures. The Board’s new address

will be: Surface Transportation Board,

1925 K Street, NW., Washington, DC

20423–0001.

EFFECTIVE DATE: February 13, 1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Anne Quinlan, (202) 927–5679 (after

March 16, 1997, (202) 565–1650); or

Beryl Gordon, (202) 927–5660 (after

March 16, 1997, (202) 565–1600). (TDD

for the hearing impaired: (202) 927–

5721 (after March 16, 1997, (202) 565–

1695).)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Board

is issuing this notice to advise the

public of its new location, effective

March 17, 1997. The Board is scheduled

to relocate its offices over the weekend

of March 15–16, 1997. Its new address

will be: Surface Transportation Board,

1925 K Street, NW., Washington, DC

20423–0001. In addition, the Board is

also giving the public advance notice

that normal service to the public,

including normal case intake and

processing will not occur during the

immediate pre-relocation and postrelocation dates of March 13, 1997,

through March 18, 1997, due to

necessary equipment relocation and

other disruptions anticipated during the

relocation.

The Board is, therefore, by this notice,

announcing that mail will not be

received and decisions will not be

served on Thursday, March 13, 1997;

Friday, March 14, 1997; Monday, March

17, 1997; and Tuesday, March 18, 1997,

with the exception noted below. In

particular, the Board will not serve

decisions on March 13, 14, 17 or 18,

1997; the Board will not receive mail

from March 13, through March 18,

inclusive (mail delivery will resume

thereafter at the new location); the

Board will not accept non-mail filings

(other than tariff filings) from March 13,

1997, through March 18, 1997,

inclusive; the Board will not accept new

case filings between March 13, 1997,

and March 18, 1997, inclusive; and the

Board will, for the duration of the

period between March 13 and March 18,

toll the time period for calculating the

effective date of all Board decisions and

notices that would otherwise be

scheduled to take effect between March

13, 1997, and March 18, 1997, inclusive.

Because of the number of time-sensitive

matters handled by the Board, the Board

is providing advance notice that case

filings that would begin a proceeding

and trigger a deadline for processing or

for effectiveness will not be accepted

during this period and that effectiveness

of previously issued decisions, or

previously filed self-executing notices

(notices of exemption, for example) that

would otherwise be scheduled to take

effect between March 13, 1997, and

March 18, 1997, inclusive, will be

delayed one day for every calendar day

during the March 13–18 interval. Also,

to avoid any potential unfairness to the

public, the effectiveness of any notice of

exemption filed on March 12, 1997, that

would normally become effective in 7

days (on March 19, 1997), will be

delayed one day for each of the 6

calendar days between March 13, 1997,

and March 18, 1997, and thus will not

be permitted to take effect until March

25, 1997. This should alleviate any

problems that could otherwise be

presented for those persons who wish to

seek a stay of effectiveness or problems

that might otherwise occur in

connection with processing of offers of

financial assistance to continue rail

service following Board approval of a

rail line abandonment or

discontinuance.

The Board will continue to receive

tariff filings during this interval (so as

not to delay effectiveness of rate

decreases for service in the

noncontiguous domestic trade that may

become effective on one day’s notice).

DC News & Data, Inc., the official

copy contractor for the Board, which is

responsible for the duplication and

distribution of Board decisions and

orders to the public, will relocate its

offices from 1201 Constitution Avenue,

N.W., Room 2229, Washington, DC, to

1925 K Street, NW, Suite 210,

Washington, DC 20006. Telephone:

(202) 289–4357. DC News & Data, Inc.,

will close its office from March 13,

1997, through March 18, 1997, and

reopen for business on March 19, 1997.

This action will not significantly

affect either the quality of the human

environment or the conservation of

energy resources.

Decided: February 13, 1997.

By the Board, Chairman Morgan and Vice

Chairman Owen.

Vernon A. Williams,

Secretary.

[FR Doc. 97–4274 Filed 2–20–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4915–00–P

[STB Docket No. AB–397 (Sub-No. 5X)]

Tulare Valley Railroad Company—

Abandonment and Discontinuance

Exemption—in Tulare and Kern

Counties, CA

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice of exemption.

SUMMARY: Under 49 U.S.C. 10502, the

Board exempts Tulare Valley Railroad

Company (TVR) from the prior approval

requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10903 to

permit TVR to abandon an 18.5-mile