[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 26 (Thursday, February 7, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2658-2659]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-01506]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. AB 570 (Sub-No. 4X)]


Palouse River & Coulee City Railroad, LLC--Discontinuance of 
Service Exemption--in Walla Walla County, Wash., and Umatilla County, 
Or.

    On December 20, 2018, Palouse River & Coulee City Railroad, LLC 
(PCC) 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 55.56 miles of rail 
line owned by Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) in Walla Walla 
County, Wash., and Umatilla County, Or. (the Line).
    The Line is located between: (1) Milepost 3.76, at Zangar Jct., 
Wash., and milepost 33.0, at Walla Walla, Wash.; and (2) milepost 
46.80, at Walla Walla, Wash., and milepost 20.48, at Weston, Or. The 
Line traverses U.S. Postal Service Zip Codes 99362, 99363, and 97886.
    PCC states that, based on information in its possession, the Line 
does not contain any federally granted rights-of-way. PCC states that 
any documentation in its possession will be made available to those 
requesting it.
    PCC states that, in 1992, Blue Mountain Railroad, Inc. (BMR), 
entered into a lease agreement with UP. See also Blue Mountain R.R.--
Lease, Acquis. & Operation Exemption--Union Pac. R.R., FD 32193 (ICC 
served Dec. 1, 1992). In 2000, BMR was merged into PCC. See Watco Co.--
Corporate Family Transaction Exemption, FD 33898 (STB served July 24, 
2000). According to PCC, BMR and then PCC have provided local and 
overhead service over the Line, as required by the lease. PCC states 
that, on April 30, 2018, it gave UP notice of its intent to terminate 
the lease. PCC further states that, once it ceases operations, the 12 
customers on the Line will continue to receive service from either UP 
or a new operator.

[[Page 2659]]

    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,\1\ the Board is instituting an 
exemption proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final decision 
will be issued by April 9, 2019.
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    \1\ Due to the partial shutdown of the Federal government from 
December 22, 2018, through January 25, 2019, the Board was not able 
to timely publish this notice of petition. See 49 CFR 
1152.27(b)(2)(i).
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    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 April 19, 
2019, 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 
570 (Sub-No. 4X) and must be sent to: (1) Surface Transportation Board, 
395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001; and (2) Karl Morell, 440 
1st Street NW, Suite 440, Washington, DC 20001. Replies to this 
petition are due on or before February 27, 2019.
    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: February 4, 2019.

    By the Board, Allison C. Davis, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2019-01506 Filed 2-6-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4915-01-P