FOR RELEASE Contact: Dennis Watson
Monday, June 23, 1997 (202) 565-1596
No. 97-47 TDD (202) 565-1695
PUBLIC & MEDIA ADVISORY: SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
ANNOUNCES RECEIPT OF “CSX-NS-CONRAIL”
RAILROAD CONTROL APPLICATION; OUTLINES OPTIONS AVAILABLE
FOR PUBLIC EXAMINATION, COPYING OF APPLICATION
Surface Transportation Board (Board) Chairman Linda J. Morgan announced today that on Monday, June 23, 1997, the CSX Corporation, CSX Transportation, Inc. (CSXT) Collectively referred to as “CSX”.; the Norfolk Southern Corporation (NSC), Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR) Collectively referred to as “NS”.; and Conrail Inc. (CRI), and the Consolidated Rail Corporation (CRC) Collectively referred to as “Conrail”. (collectively, “applicants”) filed an application with the Board seeking authority for the acquisition by CSX and NS of control of Conrail, and the division of Conrail’s assets by and between CSX and NS.
Filed with the Board in the case entitled CSX Corporation and CSX Transportation, Inc., Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company--Control and Operating Leases/Agreements--Conrail Inc. and Consolidated Rail Corporation, STB Finance Docket No. 33388, the application is comprised of 23 paperbound volumes Volume 1 of 8 contains supporting information, summary of benefits, exhibits, statements of the applicants’ principal officers, and other supporting statements. Volume 2A of 8 contains CSX statements concerning market impacts, competition and shipper benefits. Volume 2B of 8 contains NS statements concerning market impacts, competition and shipper benefits. Volume 3A of 8 contains CSX operating plan, labor impact exhibit, density charts and supporting statements. Volume 3B of 8 contains NS operating plan, labor impact exhibit, density charts and supporting statements. Volumes 4A of 8, 4B of 8, 4C of 8, 4D of 8, and 4E of 8 contain statements of shippers, public officials and others in support of the application. Volume 5B of 8 contains related applications, petitions for exemption and notices of exemption. Volume 6A of 8 contains Environmental Report Part 1--Overview and Description of the Proposed Action. Volume 6B of 8 contains Environmental Report Part 2--Operational Impacts, Rail Line Segments, Rail Yards and Intermodal Facilities. Volume 6C of 8 contains Environmental Report Part 3--Proposed Abandonments and Part 4--Proposed Construction Projects. Volumes 7A of 8, 7B of 8, 7C of 8, 7D of 8, 7E of 8, and 7F of 8 contain Form 10-Ks, Form S-4s, Form 14D-1s, annual reports, and current balance sheets and income statements (various exhibits). Volumes 8A of 8, 8B of 8, and 8C of 8 contain “agreements”. representing 14,810 pages of text (also available on computer disks) and supporting information. The Board will review the application according to the 350-day procedural schedule issued to the public on May 30, 1997, in STB Finance Docket No. 33388, Decision No. 6. A copy of that schedule is attached with calendar dates inserted based on today’s date, assuming that the Board accepts the application as complete and so announces 30 days after today, according to Section 1180.4(c)(7) of Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (49 CFR 1180.4(c)(7).
Railroad mergers, such as the CSX-NS-Conrail proposal, require review and approval by the Board to ensure that the public will continue to receive adequate transportation services, that competition will not be harmed unduly, that employees will be afforded appropriate protection, and that environmental issues are fully addressed. The Board’s review of major rail mergers extends beyond assessing potential anticompetitive effects to considering potential economies and efficiencies in the national rail system that could result from such transactions. Other, additional factors that the Board is required to address include the effect of the proposal on essential services provided by other railroads in the pertinent region, the financial viability of the consolidated carrier, the effects of the proposal on railroad employees, and whether other railroads should be included in the transaction. The Board’s merger review procedures will afford all participants the opportunity to participate fully as required by the Administrative Procedure Act and the Board’s statutory authority and implementing regulations.
The following options are available to the public for
inspection and copying of the application:
1. PUBLIC EXAMINATION. The application may be viewed by members of the public Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. in Docket File Room 755, within Suite 700, 7th floor, at the Board’s offices in the Mercury Building at 1925 K Street, N.W. (at the corner of 20th and K Streets) in Washington, DC, telephone (202) 565-1684. NOTE: All visitors must display picture identification cards upon entering Suite 700.
2. COPYING.
A. Computer disks. The application will be available in its entirety on approximately 28 computer disks. The price per disk will be $25 through the Board’s decision-dissemination and copying contractor, DC News & Data, Inc., Suite 210, Mercury Building, 1925 K Street, N.W., telephone (202) 289-4357. District of Columbia sales tax may apply, and there are postage and handling charges for mail orders.
B. Paper copies.
a. DC News & Data (address and phone number above) will copy the entire application at the price of 15 cents per page. The price for copying individual pages is 20 cents per page. D.C. sales tax may apply, and there are postage and handling charges for mail orders.
b. “Certified” copies (notarized to attest authenticity) of the application will be made by Board personnel at the price of 90 cents per page. Contact the Records Officer, Room 709, within Suite 700 at the Board’s offices (address above), telephone (202) 565-1676.
c. Interested persons may also obtain copies of the application directly from the applicants, according to 49 CFR 1180.4(a)(3), which provides that “[a]ny document filed with the [Board] (including applications, pleadings, etc.) shall be promptly furnished to interested persons on request, unless subject to protective order.
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