PUBLIC LAW 95-473—OCT. 17, 1978 the application in the Federal Register by the end of the 30th day after the application is filed with the Commission and after a certified copy of it is furnished to the Secretary of Transportation. However, if the application is incomplete, the Commission shall reject it by the end of that period. The order of rejection is a final action of the Commission under section 10327 of this title. (b) Written comments about an application may be filed with the Commission within 45 days after notice of the application is published under subsection (a) of this section. Copies of those comments shall be served on the Secretary of Transportation and the Attorney General, each of whom may decide to intervene as a party to the proceeding. That decision must be made by the 15th day after the date of receipt of the written comments, and if the decision is to intervene, preliminary comments about the application must be sent to the Commission by the end of the 15th day after the date of receipt of the written comments. (c) The Commission shall require that applications inconsistent with an application, notice of which was published under subsection (a) of this section, and applications for inclusion in the transaction, be filed with it and given to the Secretary of Transportation by the 90th day after publication of notice under that subsection. (d) The Commission must conclude evidentiary proceedings by the 240th day after the date of publication of notice under subsection (a) of this section. However, if the application involves the merger or control of at least 2 class I railroads, as defined by the Commission, it must conclude evidentiary proceedings by the end of the 24th month after the date of publication of notice under subsection (a) of this section. The Commission must issue a final decision by the 180th day after the date it concludes the evidentiary proceedings. If the Commission does not issue a decision that is a final action under section 10327 of this title, it shall send written notice to Congress that a decision was not issued and the reason why it was not issued. (e) The Commission may waive the requirement that an initial decision be made under section 10327 of this title and make a final decision itself when it determines that action is required for the timely execution of its functions under this subchapter or that an application governed by this section is of major transportation importance. The decision of the Commission under this subsection is a final action under section 10327 of this title. (f) The Secretary of Transportation may propose changes in transactions governed by this section when a rail carrier is involved. The Secretary may appear before the Commission to support those changes. §11346. Consolidation, merger, and acquisition of control: expedited rail carrier procedure (a) A rail carrier providing transportation subject to the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission under subchapter I of chapter 105 of this title or the Secretary of Transportation may apply, before January 1, 1982, for authority for and approval of a merger, consolidation, unification or coordination project (as described in section 1654(c) of this title), joint use of tracks or other facilities, or acquisition or sale of assets involving one of those rail carriers, under this section instead of sections 11344 and 11345 of this title. The Secretary may apply under this section only when the parties to the application that are rail carriers providing transportation subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under subchapter I of that chapter consent to an application by the Secretary, A rail carrier may apply under
92 STAT. 1437
. /fe'! Ante, p. 1348. Filing comments.
Evidentiary proceedings,
Waiver,
49 USC 11346.
Ante, p. 1359.
,
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