Title 49

SECTION 1121.3

1121.3 Content.

§ 1121.3 Content.

(a) A party filing a petition for exemption shall provide its case-in-chief, along with its supporting evidence, workpapers, and related documents at the time it files its petition.

(b) A petition must comply with environmental or historic reporting and notice requirements of 49 CFR part 1105, if applicable.

(c) A party seeking revocation of an exemption or a notice of exemption shall provide all of its supporting information at the time it files its petition. Information later obtained through discovery can be submitted in a supplemental petition pursuant to 49 CFR 1121.2.

(d) Interchange Commitments. (1) The filing party must certify whether or not a proposed acquisition or operation of a rail line involves a provision or agreement that may limit future interchange with a third-party connecting carrier, whether by outright prohibition, per-car penalty, adjustment in the purchase price or rental, positive economic inducement, or other means (“interchange commitment”). If such a provision exists, the following additional information must be provided (the information in paragraphs (d)(1)(ii), (iv), (vii) of this section may be filed with the Board under 49 CFR 1104.14(a) and will be kept confidential without need for the filing of an accompanying motion for a protective order under 49 CFR 1104.14(b)):

(i) The existence of that provision or agreement and identification of the affected interchange points; and

(ii) A confidential, complete version of the document(s) containing or addressing that provision or agreement;

(iii) A list of shippers that currently use or have used the line in question within the last two years;

(iv) The aggregate number of carloads those shippers specified in paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section originated or terminated (confidential);

(v) A certification that the filing party has provided notice of the proposed transaction and interchange commitment to the shippers identified in paragraph (d)(1)(iii) of this section;

(vi) A list of third party railroads that could physically interchange with the line sought to be acquired or leased;

(vii) An estimate of the difference between the sale or lease price with and without the interchange commitment (confidential);

(viii) A change in the case caption so that the existence of an interchange commitment is apparent from the case title.

(2) To obtain information about an interchange commitment for use in a proceeding before the Board, a shipper or other affected party may be granted access to the confidential documents filed pursuant to paragraph (d)(1) of this section by filing, and serving upon the petitioner, a “Motion for Access to Confidential Documents,” containing:

(i) An explanation of the party's need for the information; and

(ii) An appropriate draft protective order and confidentiality undertaking(s) that will ensure that the documents are kept confidential.

(3) Deadlines. (i) Replies to a Motion for Access are due within 5 days after the motion is filed.

(ii) The Board will rule on a Motion for Access within 30 days after the motion is filed.

(iii) Parties must produce the relevant documents within 5 days of receipt of a Board approved, signed confidentiality agreement.

[61 FR 52714, Oct. 8, 1996, as amended at 73 FR 31034, May 30, 2008; 78 FR 54590, Sept. 5, 2013]

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