[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 229 (Friday, November 27, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 76147-76148]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26201]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. FD 36459]


Great Basin and Northern Railroad--Change in Operators 
Exemption--City of Ely and Nevada Northern Railway Foundation

    Great Basin and Northern Railroad (Great Basin), a Class III rail 
carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption pursuant to 49 CFR 
1150.41 to assume operations over approximately 0.9 miles of rail line 
between milepost 127.0 and milepost 127.9 at or near McGill Junction in 
White Pine County, Nev. (the Line). The Line is owned by the City of 
Ely (the City) and the Nevada Northern Railway Foundation (the 
Foundation), and is currently operated

[[Page 76148]]

by S&S Shortline Leasing, LLC (S&S). Great Basin states that it 
anticipates reaching an agreement with the City and the Foundation in 
the near future for rights to operate over the Line. According to Great 
Basin, it will replace S&S as the operator of the Line, and S&S has 
agreed to discontinue its service over the Line concurrent with its 
replacement by Great Basin.
    Great Basin states that the Line is a segment of a longer rail line 
running from milepost 0.0 at or near Cobre, Nev., to and beyond McGill 
Junction. In addition to the Line, S&S currently operates the portion 
of the longer line from milepost 0.0 to milepost 127.0. See S&S 
Shortline Leasing, LLC--Operation Exemption--City of Ely, Nev., et al., 
FD 35284 (STB served Aug. 14, 2009). Great Basin states that it 
operates the remaining portion of the line from milepost 127.9 to 
milepost 146.1 at or near Keystone, Nev., and two branch lines 
connecting to this line segment. See Great Basin & N.R.R.--Change in 
Operators Exemption--City of Ely, et al., FD 34506 (STB served June 7, 
2004) (addressing the portion of the line from milepost 127.9 to 
milepost 146.1).
    Great Basin certifies that the proposed transaction does not 
involve a provision or agreement that may limit future interchange with 
a third-party connecting carrier. Great Basin also certifies that its 
projected revenues as a result of the transaction will not result in 
the creation of a Class II or Class I rail carrier and will not exceed 
$5 million.
    Under 49 CFR 1150.42(b), a change in operator requires that notice 
be given to shippers. Great Basin states that no active rail shippers 
are on or served by the Line.
    The transaction may be consummated on or after December 13, 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 December 4, 
2020 (at least seven days before the exemption becomes effective).
    All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36459, should be filed 
with the Surface Transportation Board via e-filing on the Board's 
website. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be served on Great 
Basin's representative, Jeffrey O. Moreno, Thompson Hine LLP, 1919 M 
Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20036.
    According to Great Basin, this action is categorically excluded 
from environmental review under 49 CFR 1105.6(c) and from historic 
preservation reporting requirements under 49 CFR 1105.8(b).

    Decided: November 20, 2020.

    By the Board, Allison C. Davis, Director, Office of Proceedings.
Tammy Lowery,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2020-26201 Filed 11-25-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P