52595LTR.docx

May 25, 1995
Leo Hennessy, Parks & Recreation
Dale Toweill, Fish & Game
Ron Kerr, ITD
John L. Hatch, Agriculture
Wallace N. Cory, DEQ
Don Watts, Historical Society
James Hawkins, Commerce
Karl J. Dreher, Water Resources
RE:Notification of Two Railroad Abandonments
Gentlemen:
The Idaho Public Utilities Commission has received notification from Union Pacific Railroad Company (UP) that it will soon file Applications with the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) to abandon two rail lines in Idaho.  The first line is a 17.7-mile stretch of the Idaho Northern branch located in Gem and Canyon counties.  As indicated in the enclosed map, this branch line runs between Nampa and Emmett with service to the community of Middleton.  The Idaho Northern & Pacific Railroad Company will continue to provide service to the communities of Emmett, Horseshoe Bend and Cascade via the Payette branch.  
The second line is the Grace branch running 5.8 miles from Alexander on the main line to the community of Grace.  This line primarily serves two grain shippers located in Grace.  It is our understanding that this line is currently out-of-service or “embargoed.”  UP maintains there is an unsafe bridge on the line.
The abandonment of railroad lines is governed by federal law and supervised by the ICC.  The IPUC’s role in rail abandonment proceedings is to determine whether the abandonment would be adverse to Idaho’s interests and to coordinate the submission of agency comments to the railroad and the ICC.  If the IPUC finds that abandonment of the branch line would be adverse to Idaho’s interests, then it represents the State before the ICC.
Your agency is being notified at this time so you may evaluate whether the abandonment would have any effect on activities or interests germane to your agency.  The Governor’s Executive Order No. 94-1 provides that state agencies coordinate any submissions to the Railroad or the ICC with the IPUC prior to transmittal. If your agency desires to submit any comments to UP or the ICC regarding the planned abandonment, please coordinate your comments before transmittal with Tonya Clark, acting Administrator of our Regulated Carrier Division.  
If you want future abandonment notifications sent to someone else in your agency, just let us know.  If you have any questions, please contact me at 334-0312 or Tonya at 334-0316.
Sincerely,
Donald L. Howell, II
Deputy Attorney General
JR\L-INB.DH
Enclosure
cc:Commissioners
RCD
Mary Hartung