FOR RELEASE
Contact: Janie Sheng (202) 245-0221
05/29/2008 (Thursday)
No. 08-17


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www.stb.gov
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD AMENDS ITS REGULATIONS TO REQUIRE DISCLOSURE OF INTERCHANGE COMMITMENTS IN RAIL LINE SALE & LEASE TRANSACTIONS


The Surface Transportation Board (Board) today announced that it has amended its regulations to require that parties seeking Board authorization for the sale or lease of a rail line must disclose any agreements affecting the ability or incentive of the purchasing or tenant railroad to interchange traffic with a railroad other than the selling or landlord railroad (“interchange commitments”).


The new regulations also provide a procedure whereby a shipper or other affected party may obtain access to information regarding an existing interchange commitment in order to pursue its rights under the statute. The new regulations were adopted to facilitate the Board’s case-specific review of challenges to interchange commitments, as well as the Board’s monitoring of interchange commitments.


The Board issued its decision today in the proceeding entitled Disclosure of Rail Interchange Commitments, STB Ex Parte No. 575 (Sub-No. 1). Today’s action follows the Board’s October 30, 2007 decision in Review of Rail Access and Competition Issues—Renewed Petition of the Western Coal Traffic League, STB Ex Parte No. 575, et al., in which the Board explained that it would examine the propriety of interchange commitments on a case-by-case basis.


The Board’s decision in Ex Parte No. 575 (Sub-No. 1) is available for viewing and downloading via the Board's Web site at http://www.stb.dot.gov, under "E-Library," then under "Decisions & Notices," beneath the date "5/29/08.”


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