[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 150 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40476-40477]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19687]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
    \1\  The ICC Termination Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-88, 109 Stat. 
803, which was enacted on December 29, 1995, and took effect on 
January 1, 1996, abolished the Interstate Commerce Commission and 
transferred certain functions to the Surface Transportation Board 
(Board). This notice relates to functions that are subject to the 
Board's jurisdiction pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10903.

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[[Page 40477]]

[STB Docket No. AB-475 (Sub-No. 2X)]


New Hampshire and Vermont Railroad Company--Abandonment 
Exemption--in Coos County, NH

    New Hampshire and Vermont Railroad Company (NHVT) has filed a 
notice of exemption under 49 CFR Part 1152 Subpart F--Exempt 
Abandonments and Discontinuances to discontinue service over 
approximately 1.1 miles of railroad from milepost 154.6 (Station 
1587.50 on Val. Sec. 24.2), to milepost 155.7 (Station 1645+23.5 on 
Val. Sec. 24.2), in Berlin Coos County, NH.2
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    \2\  Under 49 CFR 1152.50(d)(2), the railroad must file a 
verified notice with the Board at least 50 days before the 
abandonment or discontinuance is to be consummated. NHVT's verified 
notice indicated a proposed consummation date of September 1, 1996. 
Because the verified notice was not filed until July 15, 1996, 
consummation should not have been proposed to take place prior to 
September 3, 1996. NHVT's representative has confirmed that the 
correct consummation date is on or after September 3, 1996.
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    NHVT 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 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 September 3, 1996, unless stayed pending reconsideration. 
Petitions to stay that do not involve environmental issues,3 
formal expressions of intent to file an OFA under 49 CFR 
1152.27(c)(2),4 and trail use/rail banking requests under 49 CFR 
1152.29 5 must be filed by August 12, 1996. Petitions to reopen or 
requests for public use conditions under 49 CFR 1152.28 must be filed 
by August 22, 1996, with: Office of the Secretary, Case Control Branch, 
Surface Transportation Board, 1201 Constitution Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC 20423.
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    \3\  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 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.
    \4\  See Exempt. of Rail Abandonment--Offers of Finan. Assist., 
4 I.C.C.2d 164 (1987).
    \5\  The Board will accept late-filed trail use requests so long 
as the abandonment has not been consummated and the abandoning 
railroad is willing to negotiate an agreement.
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    A copy of any petition filed with the Board should be sent to 
applicant's representative: David H. Anderson, 288 Littleton Road, 
Suite 21, Westford, MA 01886.
    If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, 
the exemption is void ab initio.
    NHVT has filed an environmental report which addresses the 
abandonment's effects, if any, on the environment and historic 
resources. The Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) will issue an 
environmental assessment (EA) by August 7, 1996. Interested persons may 
obtain a copy of the EA by writing to SEA (Room 3219, Surface 
Transportation Board, 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: July 29, 1996.

    By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 96-19687 Filed 8-1-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P