[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 171 (Thursday, September 4, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46796-46797]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-23462]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board \1\
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    \1\ The ICC Termination Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104-88, 109 Stat. 
803 (the Act), which was enacted on December 29, 1995, and took 
effect on January 1, 1996, abolished the Interstate Commerce 
Commission (ICC) and transferred certain functions and proceedings 
to the Surface Transportation Board (Board). Section 204(b)(1) of 
the Act provides, in general, that proceedings pending before the 
ICC on the effective date of that legislation shall be decided under 
the law in effect prior to January 1, 1996, insofar as they involve 
functions retained by the Act. This notice relates to a proceeding 
that was pending with the ICC prior to January 1, 1996, and to 
functions that are subject to Board jurisdiction pursuant to section 
49 U.S.C. 10901. Therefore, this notice applies the law in effect 
prior to the Act, and citations are to the former section of the 
statute, unless otherwise indicated.
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[Finance Docket No. 32530]


Kansas City Southern Railway Company--Construction and Operation 
Exemption--Geismar Industrial Area Near Gonzales and Sorrento, 
Louisiana

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.

ACTION: Notice of extension of time for comment period for draft 
environmental impact statement (EIS).

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SUMMARY: The Kansas City Southern Railway Company (KCS) applied to the 
Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), now the Surface Transportation 
Board (Board), for authority to construct and operate an 8.62-mile rail 
line from the Geismar Industrial area to its mainline near Gonzales and 
Sorrento, in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. On July 16, 1997, the Board's 
Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) issued a draft EIS. Consistent 
with Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations for 
implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), SEA provided 
a 45-day comment period for the public review of the draft EIS, with 
comments due by September 8, 1997.
    Several parties, including the Concerned Citizens of Ascension 
Parish (CCAP), Illinois Central Railroad (IC), members of Congress, and 
local individuals have requested that the comment period be extended an

[[Page 46797]]

additional 60 days and also requested a public hearing. KCS replied to 
these petitions stating in essence that petitioners had not provided 
sufficient reason why the 45-day comment period was inadequate.
    In carefully reviewing CCAP's concerns, as well as those expressed 
by other parties, SEA believes that the 45-day comment period specified 
by CEQ guidelines is sufficient in this case. However, in order to 
allow every opportunity for public input into the Board's NEPA process 
in this case, SEA will accept comments to the draft EIS for an 
additional 15 days past the current due date of September 8, 1997. 
Comments to the draft EIS will now be due on September 23, 1997.
    If you wish to file comments on the draft EIS, send an original and 
10 copies to: Vernon A. Williams, Secretary, Surface Transportation 
Board, Suite 700, 1925 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20423. Mark the 
lower left corner of the envelope: Attention: Michael Dalton, 
Environmental Comments, Finance Docket No. 32530.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Dalton, Section of 
Environmental Analysis, Room 528, Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K 
Street, NW, Washington, DC 20423; phone number (202) 565-1530. TDD for 
the hearing impaired: (202) 565-1695.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Because the Board served the draft EIS on 
the parties of record on July 16, 1997 and the 45-day comment period 
did not begin until the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published 
the Notice of EIS Availability in the Federal Register on July 25, 
1997, the actual total time between the service and distribution of the 
draft EIS and the end of the comment period is 55 days. The additional 
15-day extension results in a 70-day comment period.
    In addition, CEQ guidelines and the Board's environmental rules do 
not require a public hearing to solicit comments on a draft EIS. SEA 
believes that the submission of written comments, which is the Board's 
normal procedure, is sufficient to develop the record in this case. In 
this regard, the Board has found that written comments provide 
necessary and effective written documentation of environmental issues 
and concerns for our public record.

    By the Board, Elaine K. Kaiser, Chief, Section of Environmental 
Analysis.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.


[FR Doc. 97-23462 Filed 9-3-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P