STB extends participation deadline for UP-NS merger review

In an Aug. 31 decision, the Surface Transportation Board extended the deadline to file notice of intent to participate in the review of the revised Union Pacific Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railway merger application. The new deadline is Sept. 30.

The revised application, which was accepted for consideration on May 28, seeks the board's approval for UP to acquire control of NS and consolidate the Class Is' rail operations in an $85 billion transaction. On Aug. 18, the STB established the procedural schedule for the review, including a Sept. 4 deadline for interested parties to file notices of intent to participate in the proceedings.

On Aug. 26, the National League of Cities (NLC) filed a letter requesting an extension of the deadline to Sept. 30. There are about 12,000 local governments that have rail crossings in their communities, but a majority of those governments have not yet determined if they will file a notice of intent to participate, NLC officials wrote in the letter to the board. Further, the NLC stated that the Sept. 4 deadline is less than 30 days after the procedural schedule was released and overlaps with a period when many people take leave, as well as the Labor Day holiday weekend.

Finding the request reasonable, the STB moved the deadline to file notice of intent to participate. All other deadlines and dates in the procedural schedule remain the same, STB officials said in the decision.