[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 244 (Wednesday, December 19, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 65528-65529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-30918]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Docket No. AB-290 (Sub-No. 233X)]


Norfolk Southern Railway Company--Abandonment Exemption--in Pike 
County, KY

    Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR) has filed a notice of 
exemption under 49 CFR 1152 Subpart F--Exempt Abandonments to abandon a 
1.61-mile line of railroad between milepost LA-0.0 at Leckie Junction 
and milepost LA-1.61 at Aflex, in Pike County, KY. The line traverses 
United States Postal Service Zip Code 41501.
    NSR has certified that: (1) No local traffic has moved over the 
line for at least 2 years; (2) any overhead traffic, if there is any, 
can be rerouted over other lines; (3) no formal complaint filed by a 
user of rail service on the line (or by a state or local government 
entity acting on behalf of such user) regarding cessation of service 
over the line either is pending with the Surface Transportation Board 
(Board) or with any U.S. District Court or has been decided in favor of 
complainant within the 2-year period; and (4) the requirements at 49 
CFR 1105.7 (environmental reports), 49 CFR 1105.8 (historic reports), 
49 CFR 1105.11 (transmittal letter), 49 CFR 1105.12 (newspaper 
publication), and 49 CFR 1152.50(d)(1) (notice to governmental 
agencies) have been met.
    As a condition to this exemption, any employee adversely affected 
by the abandonment shall be protected under Oregon Short Line R. Co.--
Abandonment--Goshen, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979). To address whether this 
condition adequately protects affected employees, a petition for 
partial revocation under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) must be filed. Provided no 
formal expression of intent to file an offer of financial assistance 
(OFA) has been received, this exemption will be effective on January 
18, 2002, unless stayed pending reconsideration.\1\ Petitions to stay 
that do not involve environmental issues,\2\ formal

[[Page 65529]]

expressions of intent to file an OFA under 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(2),\3\ and 
trail use/rail banking requests under 49 CFR 1152.29 must be filed by 
December 31, 2001. Petitions to reopen or requests for public use 
conditions under 49 CFR 1152.28 must be filed by January 8, 2002, with: 
Surface Transportation Board, Office of the Secretary, Case Control 
Unit, 1925 K Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423.
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    \1\ While the applicant initially indicated a proposed 
consummation date of January 17, 2002, because the verified notice 
was filed on November 29, 2001, consummation may not take place 
prior to January 18, 2002. Applicant's representative has 
subsequently confirmed that the correct consummation date is on or 
after January 18, 2002.
    \2\ The Board will grant a stay if an informed decision on 
environmental issues (whether raised by a party or by the Board's 
Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) in its independent 
investigation) cannot be made before the exemption's effective date. 
See Exemption of Out-of-Service Rail Lines, 5 I.C.C.2d 377 (1989). 
Any request for a stay should be filed as soon as possible so that 
the Board may take appropriate action before the exemption's 
effective date.
    \3\ Each offer of financial assistance must be accompanied by 
the filing fee, which currently is set at $1000. See 49 CFR 
1002.2(f)(25).
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    A copy of any petition filed with the Board should be sent to 
applicant's representative: James R. Paschall, General Attorney, 
Norfolk Southern Corporation, Three Commercial Place, Norfolk, VA 
23510.
    If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, 
the exemption is void ab initio.
    NSR has filed an environmental report which addresses the 
abandonment's effects, if any, on the environment and historic 
resources. SEA will issue an environmental assessment (EA) by December 
21, 2001. Interested persons may obtain a copy of the EA by writing to 
SEA (Room 500, Surface Transportation Board, Washington, DC 20423) or 
by calling SEA, at (202) 565-1552. Comments on environmental and 
historic preservation matters must be filed within 15 days after the EA 
becomes available to the public.
    Environmental, historic preservation, public use, or trail use/rail 
banking conditions will be imposed, where appropriate, in a subsequent 
decision.
    Pursuant to the provisions of 49 CFR 1152.29(e)(2), NSR shall file 
a notice of consummation with the Board to signify that it has 
exercised the authority granted and fully abandoned the line. If 
consummation has not been effected by NSR's filing of a notice of 
consummation by December 19, 2002, and there are no legal or regulatory 
barriers to consummation, the authority to abandon will automatically 
expire.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at 
www.stb.dot.gov.

    Decided: December 10, 2001.

    By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-30918 Filed 12-18-01; 8:45 am]
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