[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 208 (Monday, November 1, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 60330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-23760]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. AB 1319X]


City Utilities of Springfield, Mo.--Abandonment Exemption--in 
Greene County, Mo.

    City Utilities of Springfield, Mo. (City Utilities), has filed with 
the Surface Transportation Board (Board) a petition under 49 CFR 10502 
for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. 10903 
to abandon approximately 1.24 miles of rail line extending from 
approximately milepost 248.86 to approximately milepost 250.1, in 
Greene County, Mo. (the Line).\1\
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    \1\ City Utilities states that it acquired title to the Line and 
other track from the Burlington Northern Railroad Company (BN) 
through deeds dated January 15, 1986, and July 21, 1987, and that 
BN, and subsequently BNSF Railway Company, provided rail operations 
over the Line to deliver coal to City Utilities' James River Power 
Station until that facility ceased burning coal in 2015. According 
to City Utilities, while recently performing due diligence in the 
process of converting the right-of-way into a multi-use recreational 
trail, it realized that it inadvertently neglected to seek 
acquisition authority for the Line from the ICC when City Utilities 
acquired the Line from BN. City Utilities obtained after-the-fact 
acquisition authority in October 2021. See City Utils. of 
Springfield, Mo.--Acquis. Exemption--Line of BNSF Ry. in Greene 
Cnty., Mo., FD 36543 (STB served Oct. 15, 2021).
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    City Utilities states that, based on information in its possession, 
the Line does not contain federally granted rights-of-way. Any 
documentation in City Utilities' possession will be made available 
promptly to those requesting it.
    The interest of railroad employees will be protected by the 
conditions set forth in Oregon Short Line Railroad--Abandonment Portion 
Goshen Branch Between Firth & Ammon, in Bingham & Bonneville Counties, 
Idaho, 360 I.C.C. 91 (1979).
    By issuing this notice, the Board is instituting an exemption 
proceeding pursuant to 49 U.S.C. 10502(b). A final decision will be 
issued by January 28, 2022.
    Any offer of financial assistance (OFA) under 49 CFR 1152.27(b)(2) 
will be due no later than 120 days after the filing of the petition for 
exemption, or 10 days after service of a decision granting the petition 
for exemption, whichever occurs sooner. Persons interested in 
submitting an OFA must first file a formal expression of intent to file 
an offer by November 12, 2021, indicating the type of financial 
assistance they wish to provide (i.e., subsidy or purchase) and 
demonstrating that they are preliminarily financially responsible. See 
49 CFR 1152.27(c)(1)(i).
    Following abandonment, the Line may be suitable for other public 
use, including interim trail use. Any request for a public use 
condition under 49 CFR 1152.28 or for interim trail use/rail banking 
under 49 CFR 1152.29 will be due no later than November 22, 2021.\2\
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    \2\ Filing fees for OFAs and trail use requests can be found at 
49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25) and (27), respectively.
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    All pleadings, referring to Docket No. AB 1319X, 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 City 
Utilities' representative, Thomas W. Wilcox, Law Office of Thomas W. 
Wilcox, LLC, 1629 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006. Replies 
to the petition are due on or before November 22, 2021.
    Persons seeking further information concerning abandonment 
procedures may contact the Board's Office of Public Assistance, 
Governmental Affairs, and Compliance at (202) 245-0238 or refer to the 
full abandonment regulations at 49 CFR part 1152. Questions concerning 
environmental issues may be directed to the Board's Office of 
Environmental Analysis (OEA) at (202) 245-0294. Assistance for the 
hearing impaired is available through the Federal Relay Service at 
(800) 877-8339.
    An environmental assessment (EA) (or environmental impact statement 
(EIS), if necessary) prepared by OEA will be served upon all parties of 
record and upon any other agencies or persons who comment during its 
preparation.\3\ Other interested persons may contact OEA to obtain a 
copy of the EA (or EIS). EAs in abandonment proceedings normally will 
be made available within 60 days of the filing of the petition. The 
deadline for submission of comments on the EA generally will be within 
30 days of its service.
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    \3\ City Utilities filed its environmental and historic report 
along with its petition on October 12, 2021, and supplemented the 
record on October 14, 2021, with a letter from the Missouri State 
Historic Preservation Office.
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    Board decisions and notices are available at www.stb.gov.

    Decided: October 27, 2021.

    By the Board, Scott M. Zimmerman, Acting Director, Office of 
Proceedings.
Aretha Laws-Byrum,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2021-23760 Filed 10-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P