[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 243 (Monday, December 20, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Page 71191]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-32903]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board
[STB Finance Docket No. 33830]


State of Vermont--Acquisition Exemption--Certain Assets of Boston 
and Maine Corporation

    The State of Vermont (Vermont), acting through its Agency of 
Transportation, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 
1150, Subpart D--Exempt Transactions, to acquire from Boston and Maine 
Corporation (B&M) and Springfield Terminal Railway Company (STR) 
certain assets of a line of railroad extending between approximately 
milepost 123 in White River Junction, VT, and approximately milepost 
163 in Wells River, VT, a total distance of approximately 40 rail 
miles, in Windsor and Orange Counties, VT (Subject Line).1
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    \1\ Vermont simultaneously filed a motion to dismiss this notice 
of exemption. The Board will address the jurisdictional issue raised 
by the motion to dismiss in a separate decision.
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    Pursuant to a Purchase and Sale Agreement to be entered into by and 
between Vermont, B&M, and STR, Vermont will acquire B&M's right, title, 
and ownership interest, and STR's leasehold interest, in the right-of-
way, trackage, and other physical assets associated with the Subject 
Line. Vermont will not acquire the right or obligation to conduct any 
freight rail operations on the Subject Line. B&M has retained the 
exclusive freight operating easement. This transaction is related to a 
concurrently filed verified notice of exemption filed in STB Finance 
Docket No. 33829, Green Mountain Railroad Corporation--Acquisition and 
Operation Exemption--Certain Rights of Boston and Maine Corporation, 
wherein Green Mountain Railroad Corporation proposes to acquire the 
freight operating easement to be retained by B&M and provide freight 
service over the Subject Line.
    Consummation of this transaction is expected to occur on or after 
December 10, 1999, the effective date of the exemption.
    This notice is filed under 49 CFR 1150.41. If the notice contains 
false or misleading information, the exemption is void ab initio. 
Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed 
at any time. The filing of a petition to revoke will not automatically 
stay the transaction. An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, 
referring to STB Finance Docket No. 33830, must be filed with the 
Surface Transportation Board, Office of the Secretary, Case Control 
Unit, 1925 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a 
copy of each pleading must be served on Kevin M. Sheys, Oppenheimer 
Wolff Donnelly & Bayh LLP, 1350 Eye Street, N.W., Suite 200, 
Washington, DC 20005.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our website at 
``WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.''

    Decided: December 10, 1999.

    By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 99-32903 Filed 12-17-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P