[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 20 (Thursday, January 30, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5019-5020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-01884]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Docket No. AB 1109X]


City of Belfast, Me.--Abandonment Exemption--in Belfast, Me.

    On January 10, 2014,\1\ the city of Belfast, Maine (the City) filed 
with the Surface Transportation Board (Board) a petition under 49 
U.S.C. 10502 for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 
U.S.C. 10903 to abandon approximately 2.0 miles of rail line known as 
the Belfast and Moosehead Lake Railroad, extending between milepost 
0.33 in downtown Belfast at the U.S. Route 1 overpass and milepost 
2.33, located approximately at Oak Hill Road in the City of Belfast, 
Waldo County, Me. (the Line). The Line

[[Page 5020]]

traverses United States Postal Service Zip Code 04915 and includes the 
station of City Point at milepost 2.16.\2\
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    \1\ The City originally submitted a verified notice of exemption 
seeking abandonment of the Line on June 25, 2013. However, this 
abandonment proceeding was held in abeyance on August 13, 2013, to 
permit the City to seek the requisite regulatory authority to 
acquire the Line. City of Belfast, Me.--Acquis. Exemption--Certain 
Assets of Belfast & Moosehead Lake R.R., FD 35766 (STB Served Dec. 
26, 2013). The acquisition exemption sought by the City in Docket 
No. FD 35766 became effective on January 9, 2014. On December 9, 
2013, the City filed a verified statement and amendment in Docket 
No. AB 1109X asking the Board to convert the notice of exemption 
seeking abandonment into a petition for abandonment. By publication 
of this notice, the abandonment proceeding is removed from abeyance, 
and the petition for abandonment is deemed to have been filed on 
January 10, 2014.
    \2\ The City states that there has been no freight traffic on 
the Line since 1990.
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    The City states that, based on information in its possession, the 
Line does not contain federally granted rights-of-way. Any 
documentation in the City'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--Abandonment Portion 
Goshen Branch Between Firth & Ammon, in Bingham & Bonneville Counties, 
Idaho, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979).
    By issuing this notice, the Board is instituting an exemption 
proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final decision will be 
issued no later than April 30, 2014.
    Any offer of financial assistance (OFA) under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) 
will be due no later than May 9, 2014, or 10 days after service of a 
decision granting the petition for exemption, whichever occurs sooner. 
Each OFA must be accompanied by a $1,600 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 line, the line 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 February 19, 2014.\3\ Each 
trail use request must be accompanied by a $250 filing fee. See 49 CFR 
1002.2(f)(27).
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    \3\ The City states that it has determined that the best use of 
the line is a scenic recreational walking and bicycling trail and 
asks the Board to issue a notice of interim trail use (NITU). It is 
well established that OFAs to acquire rail lines for continued rail 
service or to subsidize rail operations take priority over interim 
trail use/rail banking. See, e.g., Mid-Michigan R.R.--Aban. 
Exemption--In Kent, Ionia, & Montcalm Cntys., Mich., AB 364 (Sub-No. 
12X) (STB served Apr. 4, 2008). Thus, any NITU the Board may issue 
cannot take effect until after the OFA process has been allowed to 
proceed.
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    All filings in response to this notice must refer to Docket No. AB 
1109X and must be sent to: (1) Surface Transportation Board, 395 E 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001; and (2) Kristin M. Collins, 
Kelly & Collins, LLC, 96 High Street, Belfast, ME 04915. Replies to the 
petition are due on or before February 19, 2014.
    Persons seeking further information concerning abandonment 
procedures may contact the Board's Office of Public Assistance, 
Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245-0238 or refer to the 
full abandonment or discontinuance regulations at 49 CFR part 1152. 
Questions concerning environmental issues may be directed to the 
Board's Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) at (202) 245-0305. 
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 OEA will be served upon all parties of 
record and upon any agencies or other persons who commented during its 
preparation. Other interested persons may contact OEA to obtain a copy 
of the EA (or EIS). The EA in this abandonment proceeding was made 
available on January 24, 2014. The deadline for submission of comments 
on the EA is February 3, 2014.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at 
WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.

    Decided: January 27, 2014.

    By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Derrick A. Gardner,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2014-01884 Filed 1-29-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P