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Last week, the Surface Transportation Board issued six decisions at an open voting conference.

Board members voted unanimously to:
• modify prior decisions in three rail-rate cases — Duke Energy Corp. vs. Norfolk Southern Corp., Duke vs. CSX Transportation, and Carolina Power & Light Co. vs. NS — and determine that none of the challenged rates were proven to be unreasonable under the STB's "stand-alone cost" test;
• conclude a five-year oversight period, terminate reporting requirements and deny various relief requests tied to CSXT's and NS' Conrail split;
• deny CSXT' motion to dismiss HolRail L.L.C.'s exemption petition seeking authority to construct a two-mile line in Orangeburg and Dorchester counties, S.C.;
• deny MVC Transportation L.L.C.'s petition seeking resolution in a Pennsylvania court of an ownership dispute over rail-yard track assets;
• deny Tongue River Railroad Co. Inc.'s petition to reconsider an earlier decision concerning authority to construct and operate a line segment in Montana; and
• grant Lake Superior & Ishpeming Railroad Co.'s petition to reconsider a decision under which the STB denied an exemption from prior-approval requirements concerning the proposed abandonment of a line in Marquette County, Mich.