January 13, 2011, Introduced by Rep. Kurtz and referred to the Committee on Transportation.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 295, entitled
"State transportation preservation act of 1976,"
by amending section 10 (MCL 474.60), as amended by 2008 PA 570.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 10. (1) In weighing the varied interests of the residents
of this state, the department shall give consideration to the
individual interest of any person, public or private corporation,
local or regional transportation authority, local governmental
unit, private carrier, group of rail users, state agency, other
public or private entity, including a port authority established
under the Hertel-Law-T. Stopczynski port authority act, 1978 PA
639, MCL 120.101 to 120.130, or any combination of these entities,
expressing a desire to acquire or lease or secure an easement for
the use of a portion or all of the real property owned by a
railroad company. The property acquired by the department under
this act may be conveyed or leased to an entity or combination of
entities listed in this subsection with appropriate reimbursement,
as determined by the department.
(2) The department may begin divestiture or offer 10-year
leases to the current operator of the properties described in this
subsection within 180 days after July 3, 1998. Except as otherwise
provided in this act, the department shall accomplish divestiture
or create leases, without partitioning a segment or a portion of a
segment, in the following order from the smallest segment first to
the largest segment last, of the following defined segments of
state-owned rail property:
(a) Lenawee county system means the rail lines owned by the
state between Adrian and Riga, between Grosvenor and River Raisin
and Lenawee Junction.
(b) Hillsdale county system means the rail lines owned by the
state between Litchfield and the Indiana state line and between
Jonesville and Quincy, excluding that portion of the segment
located in Jonesville west of Beck street to the northern bank of
the St. Joseph river.
(c) Vassar area system means the rail lines owned by the state
between Millington and Munger, between Vassar and Colling, and at
Denmark Junction.
(d) Ann Arbor and Northwest Michigan system means the rail
lines owned by the state between Durand and Ann Arbor, between
Owosso and Thompsonville, between Cadillac and Petoskey excluding
the portion of the segment located in Petoskey north of Emmet
street, between Walton Junction and Traverse City, between Grawn
and Williamsburg, and between Owosso and St. Charles.
(3) The specific terms of a sale will be as determined by the
department except for the following required conditions:
(a) Each purchase agreement shall require that the purchase
price shall be not less than the net liquidation value of the rail
line or lines.
(b) Each purchase agreement shall require that the purchaser
provide at a minimum the average level of service adjusted for
traffic levels for 3 years after the date of sale unless otherwise
mutually agreed upon between the purchaser and shippers that
existed on that line on July 3, 1998, and that rates on the segment
purchased from the state will not increase more than the average
percentage increase in the Detroit consumer price index for the 12-
month period each year for the base rate in effect on January 1,
1996 for 3 years after the date of sale.
(c) Trackage in the segments sold by the state shall be
maintained at not less than the federal railway administration
class of track standards for each segment as of January 1, 1998.
(d) In the case of the sale of the segment described in
subsection (2)(d), the purchaser shall be required to charge
reasonable freight rates for that section between Durand and Ann
Arbor and honor all existing freight rate agreements and trackage
rights for 3 years after the date of sale.
(e) Any existing lease or agreement for operation of a segment
in effect on July 3, 1998 shall be extended at the same terms and
conditions until a sale or lease is executed.
(4) If there are no acceptable offers to purchase, the
property shall be offered for a lease of not less than 10 years, by
the department to the following parties in descending order:
(a) Current operator.
(b) Current shippers on that segment.
(c) Governmental entities.
(d) Other railroad companies.
(5) If the purchaser or lessee fails to comply with the
conditions of sale or lease, the property shall revert back to the
department and shall then be offered for sale or lease to the
following parties in descending order:
(a) Current shippers on that segment.
(b) Governmental entities.
(c) Other railroad companies.
(6) Before the execution of a purchase agreement, the
potential purchaser shall submit to the department its most recent
financial statement and a proposed operation plan including
tributary lines and including known potential sublease agreements.
As used in this subsection, "tributary lines" means spur rail lines
that only intersect with a rail line owned by the state on July 3,
1998.
(7) If during the first 10 years after purchase the purchaser
abandons service and sells the segment or any portion of the
segment that does not involve main line track, or any rails, ties,
or ballast, excluding normal salvage, 95% of the proceeds from the
sale shall be returned to the state as additional purchase price. A
segment or a portion of a segment may be sold with the approval of
the department.
(8) A party aggrieved by the performance or failure to perform
under the terms of a purchase agreement may bring an action in the
circuit court where the party resides or where the property is
located for appropriate relief.
(9) The specific terms of a lease will be as determined by the
department except for the following required conditions:
(a) Each lease agreement shall require that the lessee provide
at a minimum the average level of service adjusted for traffic
levels for 3 years after the date of the lease agreement unless
otherwise mutually agreed upon between the lessee and shippers that
existed on that line on the effective date of the amendatory act
that added this subsection, and that rates on that segment leased
from the state will not increase more than the average percentage
increase in the Detroit consumer price index for the 12-month
period each year for the base rate in effect on January 1, 1996 for
3 years after the date of the lease.
(b) Not less than 50% of trackage rights revenues shall be
reinvested in eligible expenditures. As used in this subdivision,
"eligible expenditures" includes the material and direct expenses
required for the installation of railroad ties, track, ballast,
crossing improvements, ditch and drainage repair or improvements,
brush trimming, and the expenses required to conduct track and
signal inspections as specified in federal regulations.
(c) Trackage in the segments leased by the state shall be
maintained at not less than the federal railway administration
class of track standards for each segment as of January 1, 1998.
(d) In the case of a lease of the segment described in
subsection (2)(d), the lessee shall be required to charge
reasonable freight rates for that section between Durand and Ann
Arbor and honor all existing freight rate agreements and trackage
rights for 3 years after the date of sale.
(10) A party aggrieved by the performance or failure to
perform under the terms of a lease agreement may bring an action in
the circuit court where the party resides or where the property is
located for appropriate relief.
(11) Upon acquisition of a right-of-way, the department may
preserve the right-of-way for future use as a railroad line and, if
preserving it for that use, shall not permit any action which would
render it unsuitable for future rail use. However, if the
department determines a right-of-way or other property acquired
under this act is no longer necessary for railroad transportation
purposes, the department may preserve and utilize the right-of-way
for other transportation purposes or may dispose of the right-of-
way or other property acquired under this act for the purposes
described in section 6, or may dispose of or lease the right-of-way
or other property for other purposes, as appropriate. However, the
department shall not dispose of or lease a right-of-way without
first offering to transfer the right-of-way to the department of
natural resources and environment. If the department of natural
resources and environment desires to lease or purchase the right-
of-way, the department of natural resources and environment must
indicate their desire within 60 days and accept the offered
transfer within 1 year after the offer is made. If the department
of natural resources and environment does not indicate their
desires within 60 days, the department may dispose of or lease the
right-of-way as otherwise provided for in this act. If the
department of natural resources and environment does not accept the
offered transfer within 1 year after indicating their desire to
lease or purchase the right-of-way, the department may dispose of
or lease the right-of-way as otherwise provided for in this act.
When appropriate, a right-of-way or other property shall be
transferred or leased to a public or private entity with
appropriate reimbursement, as determined by the department.
(12) In preserving a right-of-way for future rail use, the
department may do 1 or more of the following:
(a) Develop the right-of-way for use as a commuter trail where
the use is feasible and needed or lease the right-of-way to a
county, city, village, or township expressing a desire to develop
the right-of-way as a commuter trail. The lease shall be for an
indefinite period of time, cancelable by the department only if the
right-of-way is needed for rail usage. The trails, unless leased to
a county, city, village, or township, shall remain under the
jurisdiction of the department.
(b) Transfer, for appropriate reimbursement, the right-of-way
to the department of natural resources and environment for use as a
Michigan trailway pursuant to part 721 of the natural resources and
environmental protection act, 1994 PA 451, MCL 324.72101 to
324.72113
324.72115, if the deed includes restrictions on the use
of the property that assure that the property remains viable for
future rail usage, and includes a clause that provides that the
department of natural resources and environment shall transfer, for
appropriate reimbursement, the right-of-way to the department, upon
a determination of the director of the department that the right-
of-way is needed for use as a railroad line.
(c) Lease the right-of-way to the department of natural
resources and environment, or upon approval of the department of
natural resources and environment, to a county, city, village, or
township for use as a recreational trail. The lease shall be for an
indefinite period of time, cancelable by the department only if the
right-of-way is needed for rail usage. A recreational trail shall
be reserved for non-motorized forms of recreation or snowmobiling
only. Snowmobiling shall not be allowed on more than 50% of the
mileage of the recreational trails established pursuant to this
act.
(d) In cases where a trail serves both a significant commuter
and recreation function, authorize the joint development of the
trail by the department and the department of natural resources and
environment, or the department and any interested county, city,
village, or township. Administration of the trail shall be
determined jointly by the department and the department of natural
resources and environment.
(13) As a term of conveyance, the department may require
restrictions on the use of the property that assure that the
property remains viable for future rail use and that the rail line
is made available by the purchaser for future freight or passenger
rail uses and that the property shall revert to the department if
the purchaser fails to maintain the property so that it remains
viable for future rail use.