Ventura County Railroad Company-Operation Exemption-Ventura County Railway Company, LLC

Ventura County Railroad Company (VCRR), a Class III rail carrier, has filed a verified notice of exemption under 49 CFR 1150.41 to enter into an amendment to extend the term of an operating and maintenance agreement with Ventura County Railway Company, LLC (VCRC, LLC), for approximately 12.19-miles of rail line (the Line). The Line consists of a mainline from milepost 0.0 (at the interchange with Union Pacific Railroad Company) to approximately milepost 5.8 on the docks at Port Hueneme, and three branches: the 1.05-mile Diamond Branch; the 1.71-mile Edison Branch, and the 3.63-mile Patterson Branch in the Port of Hueneme and Oxnard, Cal.

According to the verified notice, in 2022, VCRR entered into an agreement with VCRC, LLC to operate the Line. Ventura Cnty. R.R.—Operation Exemption—Ventura Cnty. Ry., FD 36651 (STB served Dec. 16, 2022). The verified notice states that the amended agreement allows VCRR to continue operating over the Line by extending the term of the agreement for five years with an option to extend the agreement another five years thereafter.

VCRR certifies that its projected annual revenue resulting from the proposed transaction will not exceed $5 million and will not exceed those that would qualify it as a Class III rail carrier. VCRR also certifies that the amended agreement does not include an interchange commitment.

The transaction may be consummated on or after October 4, 2026, the effective date of the exemption (30 days after the verified notice was filed).

If the verified notice contains false or misleading information, the exemption is void ab initio. Petitions to revoke the exemption under 49 U.S.C. 10502(d) may be filed at any time. The filing of a petition to revoke will not automatically stay the effectiveness of the exemption. Petitions for stay must be filed no later than September 25, 2026 (at least seven days before the exemption becomes effective).

All pleadings, referring to Docket No. FD 36937, must be filed with the Surface Transportation Board either via e-filing on the Board's website or in writing addressed to 395 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20423-0001. In addition, a copy of each pleading must be served on VCRR's representative, Justin J. Marks, Clark Hill PLC, 601 13th Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005.

According to VCRR, this action is categorically excluded from environmental review under 49 CFR 1105.6(c) and from historic preservation reporting requirements under 49 CFR 1105.8(b).

Board decisions and notices are available at www.stb.gov.