§ 717 — Adoption Of Final System Plan

(1) Within 420 days after January 2, 1974, the Association shall adopt and release a preliminary system plan prepared by it on the basis of reports and other information submitted to it by the Secretary, the Office, and interested persons in accordance with this chapter and on the basis of its own investigations, consultations, research, evaluation, and analysis pursuant to this chapter. Copies of the preliminary system plan shall be transmitted by the Association to the Secretary, the Office, the Governor and public utility commission of each State in the region, the Congress, each court having jurisdiction over a railroad in reorganization in the region, the special court, and interested persons, and a copy shall be published in the Federal Register. The Association shall invite and afford interested persons an opportunity to submit comments on the preliminary system plan to the Association within 60 days after the date of its release. (2) The Office is authorized and directed to hold public hearings on the preliminary system plan and to make available to the Association a summary and analysis of the evidence received in the course of such proceedings, together with its critique and evaluation of the preliminary system plan, not later than 60 days after the date of release of such plan. The Office is authorized to hold public hearings on any supplement to the preliminary system plan and to make available to the Association a summary and analysis of the evidence received in the course of such proceedings, together with its critique and evaluation of such supplement, not later than 30 days after the release of such supplement. (1) Within 120 days after January 2, 1974, each United States district court or other court having jurisdiction over a railroad in reorganization shall decide whether the railroad is reorganizable on an income basis within a reasonable time under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act and that the public interest would be better served by continuing the present reorganization proceedings than by a reorganization under this chapter. Within 60 days after the submission of the report by the Office, under section 715(d)(1) of this title, on the Secretary’s report on rail services in the region, each United States district court or other court having jurisdiction over a railroad in reorganization shall decide whether or not such railroad shall be reorganized by means of transferring some of its rail properties to the Corporation pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Because of the strong public interest in the continuance of rail transportation in the region pursuant to a system plan devised under the provisions of this chapter, each such court shall order that the reorganization be proceeded with pursuant to this chapter unless it (1) has found that the railroad is reorganizable on an income basis within a reasonable time under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act and that the public interest would be better served by such a reorganization than by a reorganization under this chapter, or (2) finds that this chapter does not provide a process which would be fair and equitable to the estate of the railroad in reorganization in which case it shall dismiss the reorganization proceeding. If a court does not enter an order or make a finding as required by this subsection, the reorganization shall be proceeded with pursuant to this chapter. An appeal from an order made under this section may be made only to the special court. Appeal to the special court shall be taken within 10 days following entry of an order pursuant to this subsection, and the special court shall complete its review and render its decision within 80 days after such appeal is taken. There shall be no review of the decision of the special court. (2) Whenever it has been finally determined pursuant to the procedures of paragraph (1) of this subsection, that the reorganization of a railroad subject to reorganization under section 77 of the Bankruptcy Act shall not be proceeded with pursuant to this chapter, the court having jurisdiction over such railroad may, upon a petition which is filed within 10 days after February 28, 1975, by the trustees of such railroad, reconsider such order. Such reorganization court shall (i) affirm its previous order or (ii) issue an order that the reorganization of such railroad be proceeded with pursuant to this chapter unless it finds that this chapter does not provide a process which would be fair and equitable. The provisions of paragraph (1) of this subsection are applicable in such reconsideration, except that (A) such reorganization court shall make its decision within 30 days after such petition is filed, and (B) any decision by the special court on appeal from such a decision shall be rendered within 30 days after such reorganization court decision is made. There shall be no review of the decision of the special court. The Association shall take any steps it finds necessary, consistent with time limitations and other provisions of this chapter, to effectuate the consequences of such a revised order, including the preparation and submission of any necessary or appropriate supplements to the preliminary system plan. (c) Within 540 days after January 2, 1974, the executive committee of the Association shall prepare and submit a final system plan for the approval of the Board of Directors of the Association. A copy of such submission shall be simultaneously presented to the Commission. The submission shall reflect evaluation of all responses and summaries of responses received, testimony at any public hearings, and the results of additional study and review. Within 30 days thereafter, the Board of Directors of the Association shall by a majority vote of all its members approve a final system plan which meets all of the requirements of section 716 of this title. (d) Within 30 days following the adoption of the final system plan by the Association under subsection (c) of this section and the submission of such plan to Congress under section 718(a) of this title, the Commission shall submit to the Congress an evaluation of the final system plan delivered to both Houses of Congress.