42019                  SERVICE DATE—LATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 10, 2011

DO

 

SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

 

DECISION

 

Docket No. AB 1087X

 

GRENADA RAILWAY LLC—ABANDONMENT EXEMPTION—IN GRENADA, MONTGOMERY, CARROLL, HOLMES, YAZOO AND MADISON COUNTIES, MISS.

 

Decided:  November 10, 2011

 

On September 20, 2011, Grenada Railway LLC (GRYR) filed a petition under 49 U.S.C. § 10502 for exemption from the prior approval requirements of 49 U.S.C. § 10903 to abandon the southern segment of its line of railroad.  The portion of the line that GRYR sought to abandon is between milepost 622.5 near Grenada, Miss., and milepost 703.8 near Canton, Miss., a distance of 81.3 miles.[1]  Notice of the petition was served and published in the Federal Register on October 7, 2011 (76 Fed. Reg. 62,497).

 

On September 29, 2011, the Mississippi Transportation Commission (MTC) requested that the Board hold an oral public hearing to allow the public and interested parties an additional opportunity to comment on the merits of the requested exemption.  In a decision served on October 25, 2011, the Board granted MTC’s request by announcing that it would hold a public meeting conducted by Board staff in Mississippi.  In a subsequent notice served on November 4, 2011, the Board scheduled the public meeting for 9:00 a.m. on November 16, 2011, at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Winona, Miss.

 

         On November 10, 2011, GRYR filed a letter requesting leave to withdraw its petition for an abandonment exemption.  GRYR’s request will be granted, and the proceeding will be discontinued.  Consequently, the November 16, 2011 public meeting will be cancelled.

 

         This decision will not significantly affect the quality of the human environment or the conservation of energy resources.

It is ordered:

 

1.  GRYR’s request for leave to withdraw its petition for an abandonment exemption is granted.

 

2.  The public meeting scheduled for November 16, 2011, in Winona, Miss., is cancelled.

 

            3.  This proceeding is discontinued.

 

4.  This decision is effective on the date of service.

 

By the Board, Rachel D. Campbell, Director, Office of Proceedings.