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>From the Surface Transportation Board, Washington, D.C.
-----------------------------***-----------------------------
The federal Surface Transportation Board announced today that it will hold
a public hearing in Presque Isle, Maine, on Wednesday, July 7, 2010, to
allow interested persons to comment on the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic
Railway, Ltd.'s application to abandon 233 miles of line in Aroostook and
Penobscot Counties.
The hearing will begin at 9 a.m.
at the District Court House, 27
Riverside Drive, Presque Isle.
Based on parties' earlier notices
of intent to participate in a
hearing, the Board has set a
schedule of speakers; however,
given that the hearing has been
rescheduled, parties are not
obligated to appear. Parties
should confirm, by June 24, 2010,
that their proposed speakers will
testify at the July 7 hearing.
In February 2010, MMA filed an
application to discontinue service
and abandon the line. The State
of Maine opposed MMA's proposal,
and sought funds—partially through
a successful bond referendum
earlier this month—to acquire the
line and preserve service, should
the Board grant MMA's application.
Following a June 8, 2010 meeting
of MMA, the State, and Board
mediation staff, MMA asked the
Board to extend the schedule in
this case so that the State could
participate in confidential
mediation over the line's future.
Favoring negotiated dispute
resolution, the Board granted
MMA's request. On June 18, 2010,
the parties notified the Board
that they are at an impasse.
The Board stated that it must
balance MMA's interests against
the public interest of
facilitating continued rail
service.
Offers of Financial Assistance
(OFAs) to either purchase the line
or subsidize its continued service
are due by July 19, 2010, but the
start of the OFA process may be
postponed pending the Board's
final decision.
The Board scheduled the July 7
hearing in its decision issued
today in Montreal, Maine &
Atlantic Railway,
Ltd.—Discontinuance of Service and
Abandonment—In Aroostook and
Penobscot Counties, ME, Docket No.
AB-1043 (Sub-No.
1)( http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/WebDecisionID/40847?OpenDocument )
. The full public record in this
case is available at </a>]. The
full public record in this case is
available at www.stb.dot.gov. A
speakers' list is attached.
###
ATTACHMENT (speakers' list)
____________________________
Attachment
Surface Transportation Public
Hearing
Montreal, Maine & Atlantic
Railway, Ltd.—Discontinuance of
Service and Abandonment—In
Aroostook and Penobscot Counties,
ME,
Docket No. AB-1043 (Sub-No. 1)
July 7, 2010
SCHEDULE OF APPEARANCES
Party / Speaker / Time Allotted
(minutes)
Party
Hon. Olympia J. Snowe, United
States Senate / 10
Hon. Susan M. Collins, United
States Senate / 10
Hon. Michael H. Michaud, Member of
Congress / 10
Panel I: Government
State of Maine, Department of
Transportation / David Cole,
Commissioner of the Maine
Department of Transportation or
Designee / 20
Michael James Willette / State
Legislator, District 5
Representative, Presque Isle / 10
Panel II: Carrier
Montreal, Maine & Atlantic
Railway, Ltd. (MMA) / Robert C.
Grindrod, MMA's President and CEO,
Linda J. Morgan, James E. Howard /
30
Panel III: Shippers
Twin Rivers Paper Company LLC /
Brian Sass or Designee / 7
Fraser Timber Limited / Arkon
Horne or Designee / 7
Portage Wood Products / Stephen W.
Schley / 7
Irving Woodlands LLC / Robert J.
Penette, Vice President / 7
Huber Engineered Woods, LLC / Alan
Weber, Vice President for
Logistics and Supply Chain / 7
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation /
Travis Turner, Manager of Houlton
Facility / 7
Panel IV: Community Associations
LEADers Encouraging Aroostook
Development (LEAD) / Virginia
Joles, President of LEAD / 5
Aroostook Partnership for Progress
(APP) / Walter J. Elish, President
of APP / 5
Presque Isle Industrial Council /
Larry E. Clark / 5
Presque Isle Area Chamber of
Commerce / Theresa M. Fowler / 5
Southern Aroostook Development
Corporation / Jon A. McLaughlin,
Executive Director / 5
Panel V: Community Interests
Maine Public Service Company
(Maine PSC) / Rodney K. Leach,
Manager of Supply Chain and
Facilities Management, Maine PSC /
5
Northern Maine Development
Commission / Denis Berube / 5
The Aroostook Hospitality Inn /
Steve Dobson / 5
Seven Islands Land Company / John
W. McNulty / 5
Panel VI: Labor
Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers and Trainmen / To Be
Determined / 5
Panel VII: Other
Eric S. Strohmeyer / 2
###
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