STB REVIEWS 11 RAIL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

STB REVIEWS 11 RAIL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS    The U.S. Surface Transportation Board is reviewing 11 railroad line construction projects, an “unprecedented number” for the agency in recent years.
   The proposals vary in size, scope, and location and involve both Class I and shortline railroads. “These rail construction projects have been proposed to enable railroads to continue to provide safe and efficient freight transportation service by adding freight rail infrastructure,” the STB said.
   One of the biggest proposal is from Dakota Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corp. to build about 280 miles of new line and rehabilitate 600 miles of its existing line to provide new rail access to the low-sulphur coal reserves in the Powder River Basin.
   Another large proposal involves the Great Salt Lake and Southern Railroad’s proposed construction of a 32-mile line in Tooele County, Utah ancillary to the creation of an interim storage facility for spent nuclear fuel. The proposal is also subject to approval by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
   In its review, the STB must consider a variety of aspects of rail projects, such as the public interest, environmental impacts, and past cases.