DM&E Gets Go-ahead From STB
Final Environmental Report Favors Rail Project
November 19, 2001
   

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

BROOKINGS, S.D.— Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern’s Powder River Basin project took a giant step forward November 19 when the U.S. Surface Transportation Board’s Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) issued its Final Environmental Impact Statement--recommending project approval.  Major findings include:

•      Bypasses around the cities of Rochester, Minn., Brookings and Pierre, S.D. are unwarranted and;

•      Construction of a new rail line through the Black Hills, as proposed by DM&E, would be environmentally preferable.

“Obviously, we are very pleased,” said Kevin Schieffer, DM&E’s president and CEO.  A final STB decision could come late this year or in early 2002. “If approved,” said Schieffer, “track construction could begin in 2003 with completion in 2005.”

The PRB project initially would create an estimated 505 permanent railroad jobs in Minnesota, South Dakota and Wyoming, plus  2,375 direct construction jobs during the three-year construction period.

The  long-awaited report exceeds 2,500 pages and is the latest hurdle in a regulatory review that began nearly four years ago on February 20, 1998 when the DM&E filed its application with the STB, seeking permission to extend its line 260 miles to serve coal mines in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin, along with upgrading approximately 600 miles of existing line in South Dakota and Minnesota.

The STB previously ruled on the transportation and economic aspects of the project on December 10, 1998 finding “that the public interest would be well served by this construction.”

The DM&E Environmental Impact Study is the most comprehensive in the 114-year history of the STB and its Interstate Commerce Commission predecessor. It responds to more than 8,600 submissions from Federal, state, and local agencies; various interest groups; affected communities; Indian Tribes; and members of the public from the States of Minnesota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Although the process is extremely detailed and time consuming, past STB decisions have been well founded and have been upheld in court challenges.

Highlights of the recommendations by the  STB’s Section of Environmental Analysis are:

•        SEA favors building a new line into Wyoming following “Alternative C” (the alignment proposed by DM&E), which would extend 260 miles from the railroad’s main line at Wasta, S.D. to the Black Thunder and North Antelope coal mines.

•        The SEA said it cannot recommend bypasses around Rochester, Minn., Brookings and Pierre, S.D. Instead, two grade separated crossings should be built at Rochester and one at Pierre. The preferred alternative for Brookings is rehabilitation of the existing line, with mitigation.

•        At Mankato, Minn., the SEA prefers constructing a new line using the existing corridor within the Union Pacific’s right-of-way. If an agreement can’t be reached with the UP, then DM&E should build a bypass south of the city.

•        At Owatonna, Minn., the SEA prefers a “Y” connection with I&M Rail Link, which would require an agreement with the UP. If that’s not possible, then a 1.7 mile loop connection would be acceptable.  

•        Rehabilitation of DM&E’s existing rail bridge over the Missouri River at Pierre would have fewer environmental impacts than building a new bridge.

•        The SEA found that coal dust would be minimal and not a significant concern for this project. Results of SEA’s investigation also revealed that medical facilities at Rochester, Minn. would not experience any significant project-related noise, nor would vibration interfere with sensitive medical equipment and activities. SEA also determined that nearby buildings would not incur structural damage from increased train traffic.

Copies of the EIS are available on the STB’s Web site:

 http://www.stb.dot.gov/eis/dme/dme_final_eis.htm   or at local public libraries.