[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 70 (Monday, April 12, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Page 19265]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-8206]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Docket No. AB-167 (Sub-No. 1095X)]


Consolidated Rail Corporation--Abandonment Exemption--Lancaster 
and Chester Counties, PA

AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board, DOT.

ACTION: Notice to the parties.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to section 106 of the National Historic Preservation 
Act, the Surface Transportation Board's Section of Environmental 
Analysis announces the availability of the notice to the parties, which 
summarizes and responds to all comments received in response to the 
October 2003 notice and draft Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), including 
those that favor converting this railroad right-of-way to a trail, and 
presents the Final MOA to the parties and the public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Christa Dean, (202) 565-1606. 
(Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 106 of the National Historic 
Preservation Act (16 U.S.C. 470f), Federal agencies are required to 
consider the adverse effects of their decisions on historic properties. 
In this proceeding, the entire line proposed for abandonment exemption 
was determined to be historic by the Keeper of the National Register of 
Historic Places. As part of its effort to determine appropriate 
mitigation measures, the Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) issued 
a notice to the parties and a proposed draft Memorandum of Agreement 
(MOA) for public review and comment, on October 20, 2003, and held two 
public meetings in Quarryville, PA, on November 19, 2003. After careful 
consideration of all comments received, SEA announces the availability 
of the notice to the parties, which: (1) Summarizes and responds to all 
oral and written comments received in response to the October 2003 
notice and draft MOA, including those that favor converting this 
railroad right-of-way to interim trail use/railbanking pursuant to 16 
U.S.C. 1247(d) (Trails Act), or a privately negotiated trail use 
agreement entered into after the abandonment is consummated, and (2) 
includes the Final MOA, which sets forth measures for mitigating 
adverse effects of the proposed abandonment on historic properties. SEA 
has circulated the Final MOA to the signatory and concurring parties 
for signature.
    The complete notice to the parties is available on the Board's Web 
site at: www.stb.dot.gov.

    Decided: April 12, 2004.
    By the Board, Chairman Nober.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 04-8206 Filed 4-9-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P