[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 137 (Friday, July 17, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42605-42606]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-17573]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Surface Transportation Board

[Docket No. FD 35936]


Piedmont Railway LLC--Lease and Operation Exemption--North 
Carolina Department of Transportation

    Piedmont Railway LLC (Piedmont),\1\ a noncarrier, has filed a 
verified notice of

[[Page 42606]]

exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31(a)(3) to lease from the North Carolina 
Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and to operate, approximately 13 
miles of rail line in Gaston County, N.C., consisting of the following 
two segments: (1) Between milepost SFC 11.39 at Mt. Holly, N.C., and 
milepost SFC 23.0 at Gastonia, N.C.; and (2) the Belmont Branch, 
between milepost SFC 13.6/SFF 0.13 and milepost SFF 1.56, including all 
sidings, industrial tracks, yard, and storage tracks, pursuant to a 
lease and operating agreement dated May 13, 2015.
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    \1\ Piedmont is a new, limited liability company and an indirect 
corporate subsidiary of Iowa Pacific Holdings, LLC, which owns 100% 
of Permian Basin Railways, Inc., which in turn will own 100% of 
Piedmont.
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    This transaction is related to a concurrently filed verified notice 
of exemption in Iowa Pacific Holdings, LLC and Permian Basin Railways--
Continuance in Control Exemption--Piedmont Railway LLC, Docket No. FD 
35937, in which Iowa Pacific Holdings, LLC and Permian Basin Railways 
seek Board approval to continue in control of Piedmont under 49 CFR 
1180.2(d)(2), upon Piedmont's becoming a Class III rail carrier.
    According to Piedmont, it will replace the existing rail carrier, 
Piedmont and Northern Railway, LLC, a subsidiary of Patriot Rail 
Company LLC., and will be the sole provider of common carrier rail 
service on the 13-mile line pursuant to the ``change in operators'' 
provision of section 1150.31(a)(3).
    Piedmont certifies that the projected annual revenues as a result 
of this transaction will not result in Piedmont becoming a Class I or 
Class II rail carrier and will not exceed $5 million. Piedmont states 
that there are no agreements applicable to the line imposing any 
interchange commitments.
    Piedmont intends to consummate this transaction on or about August 
1, 2015. If the verified 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 to stay must be filed by July 24, 2015 (at 
least seven days prior to the date the exemption becomes effective).
    An original and 10 copies of all pleadings, referring to Docket No. 
FD 35936, must be filed with the Surface Transportation Board 395 E 
Street SW., Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a copy of each 
pleading must be served on applicant's representative, John D. Heffner, 
Strasburger & Price, LLP, 1025 Connecticut Ave. NW., Suite 717, 
Washington, DC 20036.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our Web site at 
WWW.STB.DOT.GOV.

    Decided: July 13, 2015.

    By the Board, Joseph H. Dettmar, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2015-17573 Filed 7-16-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P