[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 158 (Wednesday, August 16, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42587-42588]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-20273]



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INTERSTATE COMMERCE COMMISSION

[Docket No. AB-55 (Sub-No. 511X)]


CSX Transportation, Inc.--Abandonment Exemption--in Hamilton 
County, IL

    CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) has filed a notice of exemption 
under 49 CFR 1152 Subpart F--Exempt Abandonments to abandon 2.64 miles 
of rail line between milepost HS-377.77 at Thackeray and milepost HS-
380.41 at Wheeler Creek Mine, in Hamilton County, IL.
    CSXT has certified that: (1) no local traffic has moved over the 
line for at least 2 years; (2) there is no overhead traffic on the 
line; (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 Commission or with any U.S. District Court or has been decided 
in favor of the 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 use of this exemption, any employee 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. 10505(d) must be filed.
    Provided no formal expression of intent to file an offer of 
financial 

[[Page 42588]]
assistance (OFA) has been received, this exemption will be effective on 
September 15, 1995, unless stayed pending reconsideration. Petitions to 
stay that do not involve environmental issues,1 formal expressions 
of intent to file an OFA under 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(2),2 and trail 
use/rail banking requests under 49 CFR 1152.29 3 must be filed by 
August 28, 1995. Petitions to reopen or requests for public use 
conditions under 49 CFR 1152.28 must be filed by September 5, 1995, 
with: Office of the Secretary, Case Control Branch, Interstate Commerce 
Commission, Washington, DC 20423.

    \1\ A stay will be issued routinely by the Commission in those 
proceedings where an informed decision on environmental issues 
(whether raised by a party or by the Commission's Section of 
Environmental Analysis in its independent investigation) cannot be 
made prior to the effective date of the notice of exemption. See 
Exemption of Out-of-Service Rail Lines, 5 I.C.C.2d 377 (1989). Any 
entity seeking a stay on environmental concerns is encouraged to 
file its request as soon as possible in order to permit the 
Commission to review and act on the request prior to the effective 
date of this exemption.
    \2\ See Exempt. of Rail Abandonment Offers of Finan. Assist., 4 
I.C.C.2d 164 (1987).
    \3\ The Commission will accept a late-filed trail use request as 
long as it retains jurisdiction to do so.
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    A copy of any pleading filed with the Commission should be sent to 
applicant's representative: Charles M. Rosenberger, 500 Water Street 
J150, Jacksonville, FL 32202.
    If the notice of exemption contains false or misleading 
information, the exemption is void ab initio.
    CSXT filed an environmental report which addresses the effects of 
the abandonment, if any, on the environment and historic resources. The 
Commission's Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) will issue an 
environmental assessment (EA) by August 21, 1995. Interested persons 
may obtain a copy of the EA by writing to SEA (Room 3219, Interstate 
Commerce Commission, Washington, DC 20423) or by calling Elaine Kaiser, 
Chief of SEA, at (202) 927-6248. 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.

    Decided: August 9, 1995.

    By the Commission, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 95-20273 Filed 8-15-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7035-01-P