[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 199 (Tuesday, October 17, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Page 48310]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-22465]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. AB 1247; Docket No. AB 1248]


Buckeye East Chicago Railroad LLC--Abandonment Exemption--in Lake 
County, Ind.; Landisville Railroad, LLC--Discontinuance Exemption--in 
Lake County, Ind.

    On September 27, 2017, Buckeye East Chicago Railroad LLC (BECR) and 
Landisville Railroad, LLC (Landisville) (collectively, Petitioners) 
jointly filed with the Surface Transportation Board (Board) a petition 
under 49 U.S.C. 10502 for exemption from the prior approval 
requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10903 to abandon and discontinue, 
respectively, approximately 1.34 miles of rail line located within the 
East Chicago Transload Facility (Facility) at or near 400 East Columbus 
Drive in East Chicago, Lake County, Ind. (the Line). The Line traverses 
United States Postal Service ZIP Code 46312. Petitioners state the Line 
does not include stations other than the Facility and does not have 
milepost designations.
    According to Petitioners, Landisville exclusively provides 
transloading and interchange services on behalf of BECR to a connection 
with the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad (IHBR). Petitioners state that 
Buckeye Terminals, LLC, the operator of the Facility, is the only 
shipper on the Line. Upon consummation of the proposed transaction, 
Petitioners state that IHBR would continue to pick up and deliver 
traffic to the Facility as a common carrier. Petitioners also state 
that Buckeye Terminals, which will be BECR's successor as owner of the 
Line, or Landisville, as a private contract operator to Buckeye 
Terminals, will move cars around the Facility and provide the transload 
services, but would do so over private track that would no longer be 
subject to the Board's jurisdiction. Petitioners state that no other 
customers have requested common carrier service from either BECR or 
Landisville.
    The parties state that Buckeye Partners, as the parent of both BECR 
and Buckeye Terminals, has consented to and supports the proposed 
abandonment and discontinuance. Petitioners state that Landisville is 
also willing to accommodate the abandonment of the Line by seeking 
discontinuance of its common carrier operating right over the Line.
    According to the Petitioners, the Line is stub-ended and therefore 
may not accommodate overhead traffic. The Petitioners state that, based 
on information in BECR's and Buckeye Terminals' possession, the Line 
does not contain federally granted rights-of-way. Any documentation in 
their possession will be made available promptly to those requesting 
it.
    The interest of railroad employees will be protected by the 
conditions set forth in Oregon Short Line Railroad--Abandonment Portion 
Goshen Branch Between Firth & Ammon, in Bingham & Bonneville Counties, 
Idaho, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979).
    By issuing this notice, the Board is instituting an exemption 
proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final decision will be 
issued by January 12, 2018.
    Any offer of financial assistance (OFA) under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) 
will be due no later than 10 days after service of a decision granting 
the petition for exemption. Each OFA must be accompanied by a $1,800 
filing fee. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25).
    All interested persons should be aware that, following 
discontinuance and abandonment, the Line may be suitable for other 
public use, including interim trail use. Any request for a public use 
condition under 49 CFR 1152.28 or for interim trail use/rail banking 
under 49 CFR 1152.29 will be due no later than November 6, 2017. Each 
interim trail use request must be accompanied by a $300 filing fee. See 
49 CFR 1002.2(f)(27).
    All filings in response to this notice must refer to Docket Nos. AB 
1247 and AB 1248 and must be sent to: (1) Surface Transportation Board, 
395 E Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001; (2) Charles A. Spitulnik, 
Kaplan Kirsch & Rockwell LLP, 1001 Connecticut Avenue NW., Suite 800, 
Washington, DC 20036; and (3) Eric M. Hocky, Clark Hill PLC, One 
Commerce Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 1000, Philadelphia, PA 
19102. Replies to the petition are due on or before November 6, 2017.
    Persons seeking further information concerning abandonment or 
discontinuance procedures may contact the Board's Office of Public 
Assistance, Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245-0238 or 
refer to the full abandonment or discontinuance regulations at 49 CFR 
part 1152. Questions concerning environmental issues may be directed to 
the Board's Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) at (202) 245-0305. 
Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    An environmental assessment (EA) (or environmental impact statement 
(EIS), if necessary) prepared by OEA will be served upon all parties of 
record and upon any agencies or other persons who comment during its 
preparation. Other interested persons may contact OEA to obtain a copy 
of the EA (or EIS). EAs in abandonment proceedings normally will be 
made available within 60 days of the filing of the petition. The 
deadline for submission of comments on the EA generally will be within 
30 days of its service.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at 
WWW.STB.GOV.

    By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.

    Decided: October 12, 2017.
Tammy Lowery,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2017-22465 Filed 10-16-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P