(1) Whenever any railroad proposes to abandon any branch line or main line now in operation within the state of Idaho, the railroad shall file notice of the intended abandonment with the public utilities commission. The public utilities commission shall schedule a public hearing on the proposed abandonment. If the hearing results in a finding by the commission that the abandonment of the branch line or main line would adversely affect the area then being served and that there is reason to believe that the closure would impair the access of Idaho communities to vital goods and services and market access to those communities and that the line has potential for profitability, then the public utilities commission shall transmit a report of its findings to the United States surface transportation board on behalf of the people of the state of Idaho.