[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 80 (Thursday, April 25, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 17446]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-08369]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. AB 1274X]


The Athens Line, LLC--Discontinuance of Service Exemption--in 
Oconee and Clarke Counties, Ga

    The Athens Line, LLC (Athens Line), has filed a verified notice of 
exemption under 49 CFR pt. 1152 subpart F--Exempt Abandonments and 
Discontinuances of Service to discontinue service over an approximately 
13.8-mile rail line from milepost F-91.5 (at Bishop, Ga.) to milepost 
105.3 (in Athens, Ga.) (the Line). The Line traverses U.S. Postal 
Service Zip Codes 30601, 30602, 30605, 30606, 30677, and 30621.
    Athens Line has certified that: (1) No local traffic has moved over 
the Line for at least two years; (2) no overhead traffic has moved over 
the Line for at least two years; (3) no formal complaint filed by a 
user of rail service on the Line (or a state or local government entity 
acting on behalf of such user) regarding cessation of service over the 
Line either is pending before the Surface Transportation Board (Board) 
or any U.S. District Court or has been decided in favor of the 
complainant within the two-year period; and (4) the requirements at 49 
CFR 1105.12 (newspaper publication) and 49 CFR 1152.50(d)(1) (notice to 
governmental agencies) have been met.
    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). To 
address whether this condition adequately protects affected employees, 
a petition for partial revocation under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) must be 
filed.
    Provided no formal expression of intent to file an offer of 
financial assistance (OFA) \1\ to subsidize continued rail service has 
been received, this exemption will be effective on May 25, 2019, unless 
stayed pending reconsideration. Petitions to stay that do not involve 
environmental issues must be filed by May 3, 2019, and formal 
expressions of intent to file an OFA to subsidize continued rail 
service under 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(2) \2\ must be filed by May 6, 2019.\3\ 
Petitions for reconsideration must be filed by May 15, 2019, with the 
Surface Transportation Board, 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-
0001.
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    \1\ 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).
    \2\ Each OFA must be accompanied by the filing fee, which 
currently is set at $1,800. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25).
    \3\ Because this is a discontinuance proceeding and not an 
abandonment, trail use/rail banking and public use conditions are 
not appropriate. Because there will be an environmental review 
during abandonment, this discontinuance does not require 
environmental review.
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    A copy of any petition filed with Board should be sent to Athens 
Line's representative, Richard H. Streeter, Law Office of Richard H. 
Streeter, 5255 Partridge Lane NW, Washington, DC 20016.
    If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, 
the exemption is void ab initio.
    Board decisions and notices are available at www.stb.gov.

    Decided: April 19, 2019.

    By the Board, Allison C. Davis, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2019-08369 Filed 4-24-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P