[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 91 (Thursday, May 11, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27530-27531]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-7214]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[STB Docket No. AB-55 (Sub-No. 667X)]


CSX Transportation, Inc.--Abandonment Exemption--in Harlan 
County, KY

    CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) has filed a notice of exemption 
under 49 CFR 1152 subpart F--Exempt Abandonments to abandon a 12.56-
mile rail line on its Southern Region, Huntington Division-West, 
Cumberland Valley Subdivision, from milepost OWH 258.5 to the end of 
the track at milepost OWH-271.06, in Harlan County, KY. The line 
traverses United States Postal Service Zip Codes 40828, 40843 and 
40927.
    CSXT has certified that: (1) No local traffic has moved over the 
line for at least 2 years; (2) any overhead traffic can be rerouted 
over other lines; (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 Surface Transportation 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 and discontinuance 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 June 10, 2006, unless stayed pending reconsideration. 
Petitions to stay that do not involve environmental issues,\1\

[[Page 27531]]

formal expressions of intent to file an OFA under 49 CFR 
1152.27(c)(2),\2\ and trail use/rail banking requests under 49 FR 
1152.29 must be filed by May 22, 2006. Petitions to reopen or requests 
for public use conditions under 49 CFR 1152.28 must be filed by May 31, 
2006, with: the Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20423-0001.
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    \1\ 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 (SEA) 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.
    \2\ Each OFA must be accompanied by the filing fee which as of 
April 19, 2006, is set for $1,300. See Regulations Governing Fees 
for Services Performed in Connection With Licensing and Related 
Services--2006 Update, STB Ex Parte No. 542 (Sub-No. 13) (STB served 
Mar. 20, 2006). See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25).
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    A copy of any petition filed with the Board should be sent to 
CSXT's representative: Steven C. Armbrust, Esq., 500 Water Street, 
Jacksonville, FL 32202.
    If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, 
the exemption is void ab initio. CSXT has filed an environmental and 
historic report which addresses the effects, if any, of the abandonment 
on the environment and historic resources. SEA will issue an 
environmental assessment (EA) by May 16, 2006. Interested persons may 
obtain a copy of the EA by writing to SEA (Room 500, Surface 
Transportation Board, Washington, DC 20423-0001) or by calling SEA, at 
(202) 565-1539. [Assistance for the hearing impaired is available 
through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.] 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.
    Pursuant to the provisions of 49 CFR 1152.29(e)(2), CSXT shall file 
a notice of consummation with the Board to signify that it has 
exercised the authority granted and fully abandoned its line. If 
consummation has not been effected by CSXT's filing of a notice of 
consummation by May 11, 2007, and there are no legal or regulatory 
barriers to consummation, the authority to abandon will automatically 
expire. Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at 
http://www.stb.dot.gov.

    Decided: May 4, 2006.

    By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E6-7214 Filed 5-10-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P