[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 102 (Friday, May 28, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 28924]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-11345]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. FD 36516]


Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Company--Acquisition 
Exemption--Carbon County, Pa.

    Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Company (RBMN), a Class 
III rail carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 
1150.41 to acquire from Carbon County, Pa. (the County), approximately 
19.5-miles of rail line extending between milepost 19.5 near Tamenend, 
Schuylkill County, Pa., and milepost 0.0 at Packerton Jct., 
Carbon County, Pa. (the Line).\1\
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    \1\ RBMN states that the portion of the Line between milepost 18 
 at Mauch Chunk Jct. and the end of the line at milepost 
19.5 has been out of service and unused for many years.
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    The verified notice states that RBMN entered into a Purchase and 
Sale Agreement with the County dated May 6, 2021, to acquire the Line. 
RBMN states that currently the Line is operated by C&S Railroad 
Corporation (C&S), which leases the Line from the County. According to 
RBMN, when RBMN acquires the Line, C&S's lease with the County will be 
terminated and RBMN will enter into a new lease with C&S to permit C&S 
to continue to lease and operate the Line.\2\
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    \2\ Accordingly, this transaction is related to a concurrently 
filed verified notice of exemption in C&S Railroad--Lease & 
Operation Exemption--Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad, 
Docket No. FD 36517, by which C&S seeks authority to lease from RBMN 
and operate the Line.
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    RBMN certifies that the acquisition does not impose or include an 
interchange commitment. RBMN further certifies that its projected 
annual revenues as a result of this transaction will not result in 
RBMN's becoming a Class II or Class I rail carrier but that its current 
annual revenues exceed $5 million. Pursuant to 49 CFR 1150.42(e), if a 
carrier's projected annual revenues will exceed $5 million, it must, at 
least 60 days before the exemption becomes effective, post a notice of 
its intent to undertake the proposed transaction at the workplace of 
the employees on the affected lines, serve a copy of the notice on the 
national offices of the labor unions with employees on the affected 
lines, and certify to the Board that it has done so. However, RBMN's 
verified notice includes a request for waiver of the 60-day advance 
labor notice requirements. RBMN's waiver request will be addressed in a 
separate decision. The Board will establish the effective date of the 
exemption in its separate decision on the waiver request.
    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 to stay must be filed no later than June 4, 2021.
    All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36516, 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 RBMN's 
representative: Eric M. Hocky, Clark Hill PLC, Two Commerce Square, 
2001 Market St., Suite 2620, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
    According to RBMN, 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).
    Board decisions and notices are available at www.stb.gov.

    Decided: May 25, 2021.

    By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Aretha Laws-Byrum,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2021-11345 Filed 5-27-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P