92 STAT. 1348
PUBLIC LAW 95-473—OCT. 17, 1978
§ 10326. Limitations in rulemaking proceedings related to rail carriers Petitions. (a) When, under section 553(e) of title 5, an interested person (including a governmental authority) petitions the Interstate Commerce Conuiiission to begin a rulemaking proceeding in a matter related to a rail carrier providing transportation subject to this subtitle, the Commission, or a division, an individual Commissioner, an employee board, an employee delegated to act under section 10305 of this title, or another person authorized to act on behalf of the Commission for any part of the proceeding, shall grant or deny that petition by the 120th day after receiving it. If the petition is granted, the Commission, or its delegate, shall begin an appropriate proceeding as soon as practicable. If the petition is denied, the reasons for the Publication in Federal Register. denial shall be published in the Federal Register. Civil action. (b)(1) If a petition is denied or action is not taken within the 120-day period under subsection (a) of this section, the petitioner may begin a civil action in an appropriate court of appeals of the United States for an order directing the Commission to begin a proceeding to take the action requested in the petition. A civil action under this subsection must be filed by the 60th day after the date of the denial or by the 60th day after the end of the 120-day period, whichever is appropriate. (2) The court of appeals shall order the Commission to begin the action requested in the petition to the Commission if the court finds that the action requested in that petition is necessary and failure to take that action will result in the continuation of practices that are not consistent with the public interest or are not in accordance with this subtitle. The finding of the court must be based on a preponderance of the evidence in the record before the Commission or its delegate, or, if the civil action is based on a petition on which action was not taken, in a new proceeding before the court. The court may not require the Commission to take action under this subtitle other than to begin a rulemaking proceeding. 49 USC 10327. § 10327. Commission action and appellate procedure in rail carrier proceedings (a) Notwithstanding sections 10322, 10323, and 10324(c) of this title, this section applies to a matter before the Interstate Commerce Commission involving a rail carrier providing transportation subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission under subchapter I of chapter 105 of this title. However, other sections of this subtitle related to action of the Commission in proceedings involving rail carriers supersede this section to the extent that they are inconsistent with the provisions of this section related to deadlines. Initial decisions. (b) A division, individual Commissioner, employee board, or employee delegated under section 10305 of this title to make an initial decision in a matter related to one of those rail carriers shall complete all evidentiary proceedings related to the matter by the 180th day after assignment of the matter. The initial decision shall be submitted to the Commission in writing. If evidence is submitted in writing or testimony is taken at a public hearing, the initial decision shall be submitted to the Commission in writing by the 120th day after completion of all evidentiary proceedings and shall include— (1) specific findings of fact; (2) specific and separa,te conclusions of law; 49 USC 10326.
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