[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Page 44655]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-18783]



[[Page 44655]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Transit Administration


Transfer of Federally Assisted Land or Facility

AGENCY: Federal Transit Administration, United States Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of intent to transfer Federally assisted land or 
facility.

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SUMMARY: Section 5334(h) of the Federal Transit Laws, as codified, 49 
U.S.C. 5301, et seq., permits the Administrator of the Federal Transit 
Administration (FTA) to authorize a recipient of FTA funds to transfer 
land or a facility to a public body for any public purpose with no 
further obligation to the Federal Government if, among other things, no 
Federal agency is interested in acquiring the asset for Federal use. 
Accordingly, FTA is issuing this Notice to advise Federal agencies that 
the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) intends 
to transfer a parcel of property to the National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation (Amtrak), a corporation organized under the Rail Passenger 
Service Act, recodified 48 U.S.C. 24101 et seq., and the laws of the 
District of Columbia, and having its principal place of business at 60 
Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Washington, DC 20002. Northern Indiana 
Commuter Transportation District currently owns the land. The property, 
which consists of 1.97 acres, is located at Amtrak South Bend Station, 
2702 West Washington Street, South Bend, Indiana, 46628 and consists of 
approximately the following components: Station and Parking Lot Area of 
1.13 acres, Undeveloped Land of 0.84 acres and Station Building of 
5,890 square feet (the ``Property''). NICTD wishes to transfer 
ownership of the Property to Amtrak for Amtrak's continued use as their 
passenger station in South Bend, Indiana. Amtrak has used the Property 
since 1975 and wishes to continue to use it for an Amtrak station. 
NICTD has not used it since 1992. Because Amtrak seeks to make major 
renovations to the station to make it more usable for their passengers 
and Amtrak is the only entity using the Property, NICTD seeks to 
relinquish ownership of the Property to Amtrak.

DATES: Effective Date: Any Federal agency interested in acquiring the 
facility must notify the FTA Region V Office of its interest by August 
15, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties should notify the Regional Office by 
writing to Marisol R. Simon, Regional Administrator, Federal Transit 
Administration, 200 West Adams, Suite 320, Chicago, IL 60606.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cecelia Comito, Regional Counsel, at 
312/353-2789.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    49 U.S.C. 5334(h) provides guidance on the transfer of capital 
assets. Specifically, if a recipient of FTA assistance decides an asset 
acquired under this chapter at least in part with that assistance is no 
longer needed for the purpose for which it was acquired, the Secretary 
of Transportation may authorize the recipient to transfer the asset to 
a local governmental authority to be used for a public purpose with no 
further obligation to the Government. 49 U.S.C. 5334(h)(l).

Determinations

    The Secretary may authorize a transfer for a public purpose other 
than mass transportation only if the Secretary decides:
    (A) The asset will remain in public use for at least 5 years after 
the date the asset is transferred;
    (B) There is no purpose eligible for assistance under this chapter 
for which the asset should be used;
    (C) The overall benefit of allowing the transfer is greater than 
the interest of the Government in liquidation and return of the 
financial interest of the Government in the asset, after considering 
fair market value and other factors; and
    (D) Through an appropriate screening or survey process, that there 
is no interest in acquiring the asset for Government use if the asset 
is a facility or land.

Federal Interest in Acquiring Land or Facility

    This document implements the requirements of 49 U.S.C. Section 
5334(h)(l)(D) of the Federal Transit Laws. Accordingly, FTA hereby 
provides notice of the availability of the land or facility further 
described below. Any Federal agency interested in acquiring the 
affected facility should promptly notify the FTA.
    If no Federal agency is interested in acquiring the existing 
facility, FTA will make certain that the other requirements specified 
in 49 U.S.C. Section 5334(h)(1)(A) through (C) are met before 
permitting the asset to be transferred.
    The property, which consists of approximately 1.97 acres, is 
located at Amtrak South Bend Station, 2702 West Washington Street, 
South Bend, Indiana, 46628 and consists of approximately the following 
components: Station and Parking Lot Area of 1.13 acres, Undeveloped 
Land of 0.84 acres and Station Building of 5,890 square feet (the 
``Property'').
    The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD) 
requests permission to transfer title to approximately 1.97 acres of 
property, with a parking lot and one (1) Building approximately 5900 
square feet in South Bend, Indiana, to the National Railroad Passenger 
Corporation (Amtrak) free of charge for continued use as the Amtrak 
Rail Passenger Station for South Bend. This property was acquired by 
NICTD in 1989 through NICTD's purchase of the passenger assets of the 
bankrupt Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railroad; the purchase was 
financed, in part, through FTA project IN-03-0061. At the time of the 
purchase of the passenger assets, this property served as NICTD's South 
Bend Station. This property is no longer needed by NICTD, as NICTD 
moved its South Bend Station to the South Bend Regional Airport in 
November 1992. The property has also been used by Amtrak as its South 
Bend Station since 1975, and since 1992, NICTD has leased this property 
to Amtrak for a nominal fee. Amtrak now finds that this station is 
aging and requires extensive rebuilding to remain a viable station and 
Amtrak wishes to stay in this location. However, since NICTD no longer 
uses this station and has determined that it will never use it again, 
it is in the best interest of all parties to transfer title of this 
property to Amtrak.
    This property is located at 2702 West Washington Street in South 
Bend, Indiana, 46628, and is bounded on the north by Washington Street, 
on the east by Meade Street, on the south by the Norfolk Southern 
Railway tracks and on the west by the SouthShore Freight Railroad's 
Bendix Yard. On the property is an asphalt parking lot with a capacity 
for approximately thirty (30) automobiles. The building is a one story, 
cement block building constructed in 1970 that has a waiting room, a 
ticket office and an enclosed, secure area to store checked baggage.

    Issued on June 24, 2011.
Marisol Sim[oacute]n,
Regional Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-18783 Filed 7-25-11; 8:45 am]
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