[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 86 (Thursday, May 3, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19592-19593]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-09399]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. AB 1264X]


Kasgro Rail Corp.--Discontinuance of Service Exemption--in 
Lawrence County, Pa.

    On April 13, 2018, Kasgro Rail Corp. (Kasgro) filed with the Board 
a petition under 49 U.S.C. 10502 for exemption from the prior approval 
requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10903 to discontinue its lease operations 
over approximately four miles of rail line owned by EASX Corporation 
(EASX) in Lawrence County, Pa. (the Line).
    The Line consists of three segments. The New Castle Branch begins 
at New Castle Monumented Base Line (MBL), at Survey Station 10+00, 
opposite the former Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad's (P&LE) Main 
Line MBL Survey Station 2580+10, and extends in a generally 
northeasterly direction to the former P&LE Valuation Station 146+10. 
The Big Run Branch begins at P&LE New Castle Branch Baseline of Survey, 
at Survey Station 84+44, and extends in a generally southwesterly 
direction to a connection with CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT). The 
Sample Spur begins at Valuation Station 2+00 off of CSXT's main line 
between Cumberland, Md., and Willard, Ohio, and continues in a 
generally northward direction to Valuation Station 40+75.7, where it 
connects with New Castle Industrial Railroad (NCIR), formerly known as 
ISS Rail, Inc. (ISS). The Line is located entirely within the New 
Castle station. The Line traverses United States Postal Service Zip 
Codes 16101 and 16102.
    Kasgro states that, based on inquiry of EASX and information in 
Kasgro's possession, the Line does not contain any federally granted 
rights-of-way. Kasgro states that any documentation in its possession 
will be made available to those requesting it.
    Kasgro states that it acquired authority to lease the Line in June 
2000.\1\ During that time, ISS and ISS's successor, NCIR, operated over 
the Line, as required by the lease. On April 3, 2018, Kasgro gave EASX 
written notice of its intent to exit the lease 30 days after the STB 
authorizes Kasgro to discontinue service. Kasgro states that following 
Kasgro's proposed discontinuance, NCIR will continue to operate the 
Line for EASX.
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    \1\ See Kasgro Rail Corp.--Lease & Operation Exemption--EASX 
Corp. & Rail Servs. Corp., FD 33882 (STB served June 22, 2000).
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    As a condition to this exemption, any employee adversely affected 
by the discontinuance of service shall be protected under Oregon Short 
Line Railroad--Abandonment Portion Goshen Branch Between Firth & Ammon, 
in Bingham & Bonneville Counties, Idaho, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979).
    By issuance of this notice, the Board is instituting an exemption 
proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final decision will be 
issued by August 1, 2018.
    Because this is a discontinuance proceeding and not an abandonment 
proceeding, trail use/rail banking and public use conditions are not 
appropriate. Because there will be environmental review during 
abandonment, this discontinuance does not require an environmental 
review. See 49 CFR 1105.6(c)(5), 1105.8(b).
    Any offer of financial assistance (OFA) under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) 
to subsidize continued rail service will be due no later than August 
13, 2018, or 10 days after service of a decision granting the petition 
for exemption, whichever occurs sooner.\2\ Each OFA must be accompanied 
by a $1,800 filing fee. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25).
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    \2\ The Board modified its OFA procedures effective July 29, 
2017. Among other things, the OFA process now requires potential 
offerors, in their formal expression of intent, to make a 
preliminary financial responsibility showing based on a calculation 
using information contained in the carrier's filing and publicly-
available information. See Offers of Financial Assistance, EP 729 
(STB served June 29, 2017); 82 FR 30,997 (July 5, 2017).
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    All filings in response to this notice must refer to Docket No. AB 
1264 and must be sent to: (1) Surface Transportation Board, 395 E 
Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001; and (2) Jeffrey O. Moreno, 
Thompson Hine LLP, 1919 M Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036. 
Replies to this petition are due on or before May 23, 2018.

[[Page 19593]]

    Persons seeking further information concerning discontinuance 
procedures may contact the Board's Office of Public Assistance, 
Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245-0238 or refer to the 
full abandonment and discontinuance regulations at 49 CFR pt. 1152. 
Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal 
Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Board decisions and notices are available on our website at 
WWW.STB.GOV.

    Decided: April 30, 2018.

    By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Kenyatta Clay,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2018-09399 Filed 5-2-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P