[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 216 (Monday, November 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60441-60442]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-29981]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Surface Transportation Board
[Finance Docket No. 33556]
Canadian National Railway Company, Grand Trunk Corporation, and
Grand Trunk Western Railroad Incorporated--Control--Illinois Central
Corporation, Illinois Central Railroad Company, Chicago, Central and
Pacific Railroad Company, and Cedar River Railroad Company
AGENCY: Surface Transportation Board.
[[Page 60442]]
ACTION: Decision No. 19; Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental
Assessment and 30-day public comment period.
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SUMMARY: The Surface Transportation Board's (Board) Section of
Environmental Analysis (SEA) issued a Draft Environmental Assessment
(Draft EA) for the proposed acquisition of control of Illinois Central
Corporation and its railroad affiliates (IC) by Canadian National
Railway Company (CN). The Draft EA is available for public review and
comment for 30 days. Public comments are due by December 11, 1998. Any
interested party may request a copy of the Draft EA or submit comments
on the Draft EA by following the procedures discussed below. The Draft
EA addresses potential acquisition-related environmental impacts and
includes SEA's preliminary environmental mitigation recommendations. In
addition, the Draft EA includes a Safety Integration Plan prepared by
CN and IC that explains how they propose to safely integrate their
separate operations if the Board approves the proposed acquisition.
After fully considering all public comments, SEA will consult with
appropriate public agencies and conduct additional environmental
analysis, as appropriate, in preparing a Final Environmental Assessment
(Final EA). SEA plans to issue the Final EA prior to the Board's Oral
Argument and Voting Conference, which are currently scheduled for March
1999. In making its final decision on the proposed acquisition, the
Board will consider the entire environmental record, including all
public comments; the Draft EA; and the Final EA, including SEA's
environmental mitigation recommendations. The Board plans to serve the
final written decision on May 25, 1999. Any party may file an
administrative appeal within 20 days of the Board's final written
decision.
DATES: The Draft EA is available for public review and comment for 30
days. Public comments are due by December 11, 1998.
ADDRESSES: All interested agencies, organizations, and individuals are
encouraged to comment on the Draft EA by submitting written comments
(include an original plus 10 copies) to the address listed below by
December 11, 1998, the close of the comment period:
Office of the Secretary, Case Control Unit, Finance Docket No. 33556,
Surface Transportation Board, 1925 K Street, N.W., Washington, DC
20423-001, Attn: Elaine K. Kaiser, Environmental Project Director,
Environmental Filing
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request a copy of the Draft EA or
further information on the proposed CN/IC acquisition, interested
parties may call SEA's toll-free Environmental Hotline at 1-888-869-
1997 (TDD for the hearing impaired: (202) 565-1695), or access SEA's
website for the CN/IC acquisition at http://www.cnicacquisition.com.
For additional information regarding environmental issues, or the
environmental review process, contact SEA's Project Manager for the
proposed CN/IC acquisition, Michael Dalton, at (202) 565-1530.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 15, 1998, CN and IC, collectively
referred to as CN/IC or applicants, filed a joint application
1 with the Board seeking authority for CN to acquire control
of IC. The proposed CN/IC system would extend to both the east and west
coasts of North America and the Gulf of Mexico. The Chicago area would
serve as the hub of the combined system. This new system would cover
approximately 18,670 miles of rail lines and related facilities, of
which approximately 4,520 miles would be in the United States. The
applicants state that integrating CN and IC operations would allow both
rail systems to provide more reliable, efficient, and competitive
service. The applicants also state that they anticipate relatively
minor changes in rail operations as a result of the proposed
acquisition. The applicants have proposed no rail line abandonments and
only five minor construction projects (one rail line connection and
four rail yard bypass tracks) as part of the proposed acquisition.
\1\ Canadian National Railway Company, Grand Trunk Corporation,
and Grand Trunk Western Railroad Incorporated--Control--Illinois
Central Corporation, Illinois Central Railroad Company, Chicago,
Central and Pacific Railroad Company, and Cedar River Railroad
Company, STB Finance Docket No. 33556.
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By the Board, Elaine K. Kaiser, Chief of the Section of
Environmental Analysis.
Vernon A. Williams,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 98-29981 Filed 11-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4915-00-P
