[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 28047]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11781]



[[Page 28047]]

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Docket No. FD 35772]


San Joaquin Valley Railroad Co.--Lease Amendment and Operation 
Exemption Including Interchange Commitment--BNSF Railway Company

    San Joaquin Valley Railroad Co. (SJVR), a Class III rail carrier, 
has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41 to 
continue to lease from BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) and operate the 
Landco spur line between the Porterville Subdivision, MP 111+ 4029 
feet, near Oil Junction, Cal., and milepost 113 + 3717 feet at or near 
Bakersfield, Cal., a distance of approximately 2.0  miles 
(the Leased Line).
    SJVR states that it has entered into an amendment to extend the 
term of, and make other minor changes to, the lease, which originally 
was part of a broader agreement between SJVR's predecessor, Tulare 
Valley Railroad Company, and BNSF's predecessor, The Atchison, Topeka 
and Santa Fe Railway Company (ATSF). SJVR states that it will continue 
to be the operator of the Leased Line.
    According to SJVR, the agreement between SJVR and BNSF contains an 
interchange commitment that affects interchange with carriers other 
than ATSF, now BNSF. In its verified notice of exemption, SJVR submits 
a map of the affected interchange points. As required under 49 CFR 
1150.43(h)(1), SJVR also provided additional information regarding the 
interchange commitment.
    SJVR has certified that its projected annual revenues as a result 
of this transaction will not result in its becoming a Class II or Class 
I rail carrier. However, SJVR's projected annual revenues following 
this transaction will exceed $5 million. Accordingly, SJVR is required 
by Board regulations to send notice of the transaction to the national 
offices of the labor unions with employees on the affected lines at 
least 60 days before this exemption is to become effective, to post a 
copy of the notice at the workplace of the employees on the affected 
lines, and to certify to the Board that it has done so. 49 CFR 
1150.42(e).
    SJVR, concurrently with its verified notice of exemption, filed a 
request for waiver of the 60-day advance labor notice requirement under 
49 CFR 1150.42(e). In that request SJVR asserts that: (1) No employees 
of the transferring carrier, BNSF, will be affected by the lease and no 
employees of BNSF or its predecessor have worked on the Leased Line 
since 1992; (2) no SJVR employees will be affected by the lease and 
there will be no operational changes; and (3) posting notices on the 
Leased Line would be futile because no BNSF employees work on the 
Leased Line. SJVR's waiver request will be addressed in a separate 
decision.
    SJVR states that it expects to consummate the transaction on the 
effective date of this exemption. The Board will establish in the 
decision on the waiver request the earliest date this transaction may 
be consummated.
    If the notice contains false or misleading information, the 
exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 
U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of a petition to 
revoke will not automatically stay the effectiveness of the exemption. 
Petitions for stay must be filed no later than May 22, 2015.
    An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, referring to Docket No. 
FD 35772, must be filed with the Surface Transportation Board, 395 E 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, one copy of each 
pleading must be served on Eric M. Hocky, Clark Hill PLC, One Commerce 
Square, 2005 Market Street, Suite 1000, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at 
WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.

    Decided: May 12, 2015.

    By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2015-11781 Filed 5-14-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P