SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

The Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) will hold a virtual public meeting on Thursday, September 28, 2023, from 5:00PM to 9:00PM ET, concerning the historic review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act in the pending Harsimus Branch rail line abandonment (Docket No. AB 167 (Sub-No. 1189X)).

In this docket, Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail), CSXT Transportation, Inc. (CSXT), and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (NSR) jointly filed a verified notice of exemption for Conrail to abandon, and for CSXT and NSR to discontinue service over, an approximately 1.36-mile portion of a line of railroad known as the Harsimus Branch, located in the City of Jersey City, N.J.

The purpose of this meeting is to update the public on the case and the status of the Section 106 process, and to provide the public with an additional opportunity to comment on the current status of the case.  OEA anticipates significant interest in this meeting.  To permit as many members of the public to speak as possible, each speaker will have up to 3 minutes to provide their remarks.  Attendees who wish to comment are encouraged to pre-register by contacting Karen Stevens at or 202-245-0304.  Once pre-registered commenters have spoken, all other attendees will have the opportunity to provide comments if time allows.

The virtual public meeting will be held via Zoom.  To sign up for the meeting, please click here.  You will then receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. For more information or to request reasonable accommodations, please contact Karen Stevens at or 202-245-0304.

The procedural history regarding the Harsimus Branch abandonment can be found in latest Board decision in Consolidated Rail Corporation—Abandonment Exemption—in Hudson County, N.J., Docket No. AB 167 (Sub-No. 1189X) here.

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