BNSF unveils three new 'Certified Sites'

BNSF Railway Co. has awarded its "Certified Sites" designation to three new industrial locations in Oklahoma, Montana and Saskatchewan.

The program identifies optimal rail-served sites for customer development along the Class I's network. To be considered for the designation, sites must undergo a thorough analysis that includes an evaluation of environmental and geotechnical standards, available utilities and site availability.

The three new sites that received the designation are:

    •    the Easterly Industrial Park in Enid, Oklahoma, which is located along BNSF's Southern Transcon route and features more than 300 acres;
    •    the Kootenai Business Park in Libby, Montana, which includes a new 5,000-foot lead track that connects directly to BNSF's Northern Corridor; and
    •    the Ceres Northgate Terminal in Northgate, Saskatchewan, which features 1,300 acres ready for immediate development. The terminal is BNSF's first Certified Site in Canada.

Certified Sites are part of BNSF's Premier Parks, Sites and Transload program, which is aimed at addressing increasing demand for customer site location by developing various types of facilities across the Class I's network.

BNSF rolled out the Certified Sites program in March 2016. So far, the railroad has bestowed the designation onto 16 sites.