[Federal Register: December 4, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 233)] [Notices] [Page 72268-72269] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr04de02-115] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Surface Transportation Board [STB Docket No. AB-33 (Sub-No. 191X)] Union Pacific Railroad Company--Abandonment Exemption--in Davis and Weber Counties, UT Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) has filed a notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1152 Subpart F--Exempt Abandonments to abandon a 23.69- mile line of railroad from milepost 754.31 near Valencia, to milepost 778.00 near Ogden, in Davis and Weber Counties, UT.\1\ The line traverses United States Postal Zip Codes 84010, 84014, 84015, 84025, 84041, 84067, 84087, and 84401. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\ UP states that the physical assets of the line, including the real property interests and track structure thereon, have been sold to the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), in connection with UTA's corridor preservation project. UTA previously filed a verified notice of exemption to acquire from UP this and several other nearby railroad rights-of-way and related improvements in Davis, Weber, Salt Lake and Utah Counties, UT. UTA also simultaneously filed a motion to dismiss that proceeding, maintaining that the transaction was not subject to the Board's jurisdiction, and UTA's dismissal request was granted. UP, however, retained an exclusive, perpetual easement and common carrier obligation on the line to conduct freight operations. See Utah Transit Authority--Acquisition Exemption--Certain Assets of Union Pacific Railroad Company, STB Finance Docket No. 34170 (STB served Feb. 22, 2002 and May 22, 2002), respectively. The retained easement will expire upon consummation of the instant abandonment exemption. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- UP has certified that: (1) No local traffic has moved over the line for at least 2 years; (2) there is no overhead traffic on the line; (3) no formal complaint filed by a user of rail service on the line (or by a state or local government entity acting on behalf of such user) regarding cessation of service over the line either is pending with the Surface Transportation Board (Board) or with any U.S. District Court or has been decided in favor of complainant within the 2-year period; and (4) the requirements at 49 CFR 1105.7 (environmental reports), 49 CFR 1105.8 (historic reports), 49 CFR 1105.11 (transmittal letter), 49 CFR 1105.12 (newspaper publication), and 49 CFR 1152.50(d)(1) (notice to governmental agencies) have been met. As a condition to this exemption, any employee adversely affected by the abandonment shall be protected under Oregon Short Line R. Co.-- [[Page 72269]] Abandonment--Goshen, 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, this exemption will be effective on January 1, 2003, 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),\3\ and trail use/rail banking requests under 49 CFR 1152.29 must be filed by December 12, 2002. Petitions to reopen or requests for public use conditions under 49 CFR 1152.28 must be filed by December 23, 2002, with: Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K Street NW., Washington, DC 20423. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \2\ The Board will grant a stay if an informed decision on environmental issues (whether raised by a party or by the Board's Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) in its independent investigation) cannot be made before the exemption's effective date. See Exemption of Out-of-Service 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\ Each OFA must be accompanied by the filing fee, which currently is set at $1,100. See 49 CFR 1002.2(f)(25). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- A copy of any petition filed with the Board should be sent to applicant's representative: Mark H. Shumate, Jr., Senior General Attorney, Union Pacific Railroad Company, 101 North Wacker Drive, Suite 1920, Chicago, IL 60606. If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, the exemption is void ab initio. UP has filed an environmental report which addresses the abandonment's effects, if any, on the environment or historic resources. SEA will issue an environmental assessment (EA) by December 6, 2002. Interested persons may obtain a copy of the EA by writing to SEA (Room 500, Surface Transportation Board, Washington, DC 20423) or by calling SEA, at (202) 565-1552. [Assistance for the hearing impaired is available through the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1- 800-877-8339]. Comments on environmental and historic preservation matters must be filed within 15 days after the 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), UP 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 UP's filing of a notice of consummation by December 2, 2003, and there are no legal or regulatory barriers to consummation, the authority to abandon will automatically expire. Board decisions and notices are available on our web site at http://www.stb.dot.gov . Decided: November 25, 2002. By the Board, David M. Konschnik, Director, Office of Proceedings. Vernon A. Williams, Secretary. [FR Doc. 02-30690 Filed 12-3-02; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4915-00-P