[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 135 (Friday, July 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41074-41075]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-13666]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Docket No. AB-914X]


McCloud Railway Company--Abandonment and Discontinuance of 
Service Exemption--in Siskiyou, Shasta, and Modoc Counties, CA

    On June 27, 2005, McCloud Railway Company (MCR) filed with the 
Surface Transportation Board a petition under 49 U.S.C. 10502 for 
exemption from the provisions of 49 U.S.C. 10903 to abandon, and 
discontinue service over, certain rail lines described below.
    MCR proposes to abandon approximately 80 miles of rail line in 
Siskiyou and Shasta Counties, CA.\1\ The specific rail lines proposed 
for abandonment include: (1) A rail line between milepost 3.3 east of 
McCloud and the end of the track at milepost B-61 at or near Burney; 
(2) a rail line between milepost B-19 at or near Bartle and milepost B-
31.4 at or near Hambone; (3) a rail line between milepost B-58 at or 
near Berry and milepost S-7 at or near Sierra; and (4) a rail line 
between milepost B-31.6 at or near Bear Flat and milepost P-3.93 at or

[[Page 41075]]

near Pondosa. MCR also proposes to discontinue trackage rights over a 
BNSF Railway Company\2\ rail line between milepost 31.4 at Hambone and 
milepost 0.0 at Lookout Junction, a distance of approximately 31.4 
miles in Siskiyou and Modoc Counties, CA.\3\ The lines traverse United 
States Postal Service Zip Codes 96067, 96057, 96013, 96054, and 96056, 
and include a station at Burney.
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    \1\ In a Draft Environmental and Historic Report that MCR 
submitted in this proceeding on March 8, 2005, the carrier proposed 
to abandon approximately 100 miles of rail line, the carrier's 
entire system. Subsequent to that submission, however, MCR has 
decided to retain approximately 19.6 miles of rail line between 
MCR's point of connection to Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) at 
milepost 16.3 at or neat Mt. Shasta, CA and milepost 3.3 east of 
McCloud, CA. MCR had mistakenly stated in its March 8 filing that 
the milepost of the MCR-UP connection was at milepost 15.2 rather 
than milepost 16.3.
    \2\ Effective January 20, 2005, the name of ``The Burlington 
Northern Santa Fe Railway Company'' was changed to ``BNSF Railway 
Company.''
    \3\ The Board issued an exemption for abandonment of the 
Hambone-Lookout Junction rail line in Burlington Northern and Santa 
Fe Railway Company--Abandonment Exemption--in Modoc and Siskiyou 
Counties, CA, STB Docket No. AB-6 (Sub-No. 414X) (STB served May 21, 
2004). However, an exemption was not sought in that proceeding for 
discontinuance of MCR's operations over that line pursuant to 
trackage rights.
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    The lines do not contain federally granted rights-of-way. Any 
documentation in MCR's possession will be made available promptly to 
those requesting it.
    The interest of railroad employees will be protected by the 
conditions set forth in Oregon Short Line Railroad Co.--Abandonment--
Goshen, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979).
    By issuance of this notice, the Board is instituting an exemption 
proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(d). A final decision will be 
issued by October 14, 2005.
    Any offer of financial assistance (OFA) under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) 
will be due no later than 10 days after service of a decision granting 
the petition for exemption. Each OFA must be accompanied by a $1,200 
filing fee. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25).
    All interested persons should be aware that, following abandonment 
of rail service and salvage of the lines, the lines may be suitable for 
other public use, including interim trail use. Any request for a public 
use condition under 49 CFR 1152.28 or for trail use/rail banking under 
49 CFR 1152.29 will be due no later than August 4, 2005. Each trail use 
request must be accompanied by a $200 filing fee. See 49 CFR 
1002.2(f)(27).\4\
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    \4\ For the line where discontinuance rather than an abandonment 
is being sought, trail use/rail banking and public use conditions 
are not appropriate.
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    All filings in response to this notice must refer to STB Docket No. 
AB-914X and must be sent to: (1) Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K 
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20423-0001, and (2) Thomas F. McFarland, 
208 South LaSalle Street, Suite 1890, Chicago, IL 60604-1112. Replies 
to MCR's petition are due on or before August 4, 2005.
    Persons seeking further information concerning abandonment or 
discontinuance procedures may contact the Board's Office of Public 
Services at (202) 565-1592 or refer to the full abandonment or 
discontinuance regulations at 49 CFR 1152. Questions concerning 
environmental issues may be directed to the Board's Section of 
Environmental Analysis (SEA) at (202) 565-1539 [Assistance for the 
hearing impaired is available through the Federal Information Relay 
Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.]
    An environmental assessment (EA) (or environmental impact statement 
(EIS), if necessary), prepared by SEA, will be served upon all parties 
of record and upon any agencies or other persons who commented during 
its preparations. Other interested persons may contact SEA to obtain a 
copy of the EA (or EIS). EAs in these abandonment proceedings normally 
will be available within 60 days of the filing of the petition. The 
deadline for submission of comments on the EA will generally be within 
30 days of its service.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at: 
http://www.stb.dot.gov.

    Decided: July 6, 2005.

    By the Board, Joseph H. Dettmar, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 05-13666 Filed 7-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P