[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 93 (Monday, May 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 41483]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10276]


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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

[Docket No. AB 1332X]


Athens Transportation Partners, LLC--Abandonment Exemption--in 
Clarke County, Ga.

    Athens Transportation Partners, LLC (ATP), has filed a verified 
notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1152.50 to abandon an approximately 
6.5-mile rail line that runs from the northern end of the Oconee River 
trestle bridge in Athens-Clarke County at approximate milepost F-MP 
98.8 (33[deg]52'30.49'' N, 83[deg]21'28.11'' W) to approximate milepost 
F-MP 105.3 (33[deg]57'30.23'' N, 83[deg]22'14.95'' W) in the north near 
East Broad Street in Athens, Clarke County, Ga. (the Line). The Line 
traverses U.S. Postal Service Zip Codes 30601, 30602 and 30605.
    ATP has certified that: (1) no local freight traffic has moved over 
the Line during the past nine years; (2) no formal complaint filed by a 
user of rail service on the Line (or by a state or local government on 
behalf of such user) regarding cessation of service over the Line is 
pending with either the Surface Transportation Board (Board) or any 
U.S. District Court or has been decided in favor of a complainant 
within the two-year period; and (3) the requirements at 49 CFR 
1105.7(b) and 1105.8(c) (notice of environmental and historic reports), 
49 CFR 1105.12 (newspaper publication), and 49 CFR 1152.50(d)(1) 
(notice to government agencies) have been met.
    As a condition to this exemption, any employee adversely affected 
by the abandonment 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) has been received,\1\ this exemption will be 
effective on June 12, 2024, unless stayed pending reconsideration. 
Petitions to stay that do not involve environmental issues,\2\ formal 
expressions of intent to file an OFA under 49 CFR 1152.27(c)(2), and 
interim trail use/rail banking requests under 49 CFR 1152.29 must be 
filed by May 23, 2024.\3\ Petitions to reopen and requests for public 
use conditions under 49 CFR 1152.28 must be filed by June 3, 2024.
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    \1\ Persons interested in submitting an OFA must first file a 
formal expression of intent to file an offer, 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)(2)(i).
    \2\ The Board will grant a stay if an informed decision on 
environmental issues (whether raised by a party or by the Board's 
Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) in its independent 
investigation) cannot be made before the exemption's effective date. 
See Exemption of Out-of-Serv. Rail Lines, 5 I.C.C.2d 377 (1989). Any 
request for a stay should be filed as soon as possible so that the 
Board may take appropriate action before the exemption's effective 
date.
    \3\ 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 1332X, must be filed with 
the Surface Transportation Board either via e-filing on the Board's 
website or in writing addressed to 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 
20423-0001. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be served on 
ATP's representative, Paul A. Cunningham, Harkins Cunningham LLP, 1750 
K St. NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006.
    If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, 
the exemption is void ab initio.
    ATP has filed a combined environmental and historic report that 
addresses the potential effects, if any, of the abandonment on the 
environment and historic resources. OEA will issue a Draft 
Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) by May 17, 2024. The Draft EA will 
be available to interested persons on the Board's website, by writing 
to OEA, or by calling OEA at (202) 245-0294. If you require an 
accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, please call 
(202) 245-0245. Comments on environmental or historic preservation 
matters must be filed within 15 days after the Draft EA becomes 
available to the public.
    Environmental, historic preservation, public use, or trail use/rail 
banking conditions will be imposed, where appropriate, in a subsequent 
decision.
    Pursuant to the provisions of 49 CFR 1152.29(e)(2), ATP shall file 
a notice of consummation with the Board to signify that it has 
exercised the authority granted and fully abandoned the Line. If 
consummation has not been effected by ATP's filing of a notice of 
consummation by May 13, 2025, and there are no legal or regulatory 
barriers to consummation, the authority to abandon will automatically 
expire.
    Board decisions and notices are available at www.stb.gov.

    Decided: May 7, 2024.

    By the Board, Mai T. Dinh, Director, Office of Proceedings.
Eden Besera,
Clearance Clerk.
[FR Doc. 2024-10276 Filed 5-10-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-01-P