STB's environmental arm issues draft impact statement on proposed Utah rail line

The Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) has issued a Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) regarding the Six County Association of Governments’ proposed construction of a 43-mile rail line that would connect a Union Pacific Railroad mainline near Juab, Utah, to a proposed coal-transfer facility near Salina, Utah.

The line would be used to transport bulk commodities and primarily would serve a Southern Utah Fuel Co. coal mine owned by Bowie Resources.

The OEA's supplemental DEIS found that proposed line would remove up to 750 truck trips from local roads per day. Trucks typically pass through the cities of Salina, Centerfield, Gunnison and Levan, Utah, on their way to the coal loading facility.

The potential overall benefits from the truck-traffic reduction include improved safety; less traffic delays, noise and air emissions; lower roadway maintenance costs; and longer pavement life, according to the DEIS.

However, based on its independent environmental analysis and review of all comments received, the OEA recommends that the STB require the Six County Association of Governments to implement certain environmental mitigation measures, such as better protecting nearby wetlands and historic properties.