[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 195 (Wednesday, October 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63327-63328]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22201]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. FD 36442]


Oregon Independence Railroad, LLC--Operation Exemption--in Polk 
County, Or.

    Oregon Independence Railroad, LLC (OIRR), a noncarrier, has filed a 
verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.31 to restore common 
carrier operations over approximately 0.4267 miles of private rail 
trackage, extending from milepost 0.1833, at a point of connection with 
Portland & Western Railroad, Inc., to milepost 0.61 (the center-line of 
the Polk Street grade crossing), in Independence, Polk County, Or. (the 
Line).
    OIRR states that the Line was abandoned by the Willamette Valley 
Railroad Company \1\ but the track was left in place. OIRR states that, 
since its abandonment, the Line has been used as private track and has 
undergone various ownership changes, with Valley & Siletz Railroad, LLC 
(VSRL), a noncarrier,

[[Page 63328]]

being the Line's most recent owner. OIRR states that it acquired 
control of VSRL as of September 11, 2020, and VSRL transferred its 
assets, including the Line, to OIRR on September 18, 2020. OIRR further 
states that on the effective date of the exemption, it intends to 
commence common carrier operations over the Line.
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    \1\ See Willamette Valley R.R.--Aban. Exemption--in Polk Cnty., 
Or., AB 403X (STB served Apr. 5, 1996) (authorizing entire system 
abandonment of 1.8 miles of rail line).
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    OIRR certifies that its projected annual revenues as a result of 
this transaction will not exceed $5 million or the threshold required 
to qualify as a Class III carrier. OIRR also certifies that the 
transaction is not subject to any limitation on OIRR's ability to 
interchange traffic with a third-party connecting carrier.
    The transaction may be consummated on or after October 21, 2020, 
the effective date of the exemption (30 days after the verified notice 
was filed).
    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 for stay must be filed no later than October 14, 
2020 (at least seven days before the exemption becomes effective).
    All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36442, must be filed with 
the Surface Transportation Board either via e-filing or in writing 
addressed to 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a 
copy of each pleading must be served on OIRR's representative, Robert 
A. Wimbish, Fletcher & Sippel LLC, 29 North Wacker Drive, Suite 800, 
Chicago, IL 60606-3208.
    According to OIRR, this action is categorically excluded from 
environmental review under 49 CFR 1105.6(c) and from historic reporting 
requirements under 49 CFR 1105.8(b).
    Board decisions and notices are available at www.stb.gov.

    Decided: October 1, 2020.

    By the Board, Allison C. Davis, Director, Office of Proceedings.
Jeffrey Herzig,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2020-22201 Filed 10-6-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P