FOR RELEASE:
Wednesday, February 11, 1998
No. 98-6
Contact: Harold McNulty
(202) 565-1539
TDD (202)565-1695
www.stb.dot.gov
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD
ISSUES FINAL RAIL MITIGATION PLAN
FOR RENO, NV
The Surface Transportation Board (Board) announced today that its Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) has issued for public review and comments its Final Mitigation Plan (FMP) for the Reno Mitigation Study ordered in the Union Pacific-Southern Pacific (UP/SP) railroad merger proceeding. The FMP contains SEA’s proposed recommendations at this time for mitigating the potential effects of increased train traffic through Reno, Nevada, as a result of the UP/SP merger (beyond the system-wide and regional environmental mitigation that the Board has already imposed). The FMP also contains comments from over 530 commenters on the Preliminary Mitigation Plan (released in September 1997), SEA’s responses to those comments, and additional technical analysis conducted by SEA. SEA invites public review and comment on the FMP during the 30-day review period, which will end on March 12, 1998.
The Board approved the UP/SP merger in Decision No. 44, on August 12, 1996. As part of its approval, the Board directed SEA to conduct an environmental mitigation study to develop additional, tailored environmental mitigation measures--beyond those already imposed in Decision No. 44--to further address local conditions unique to Reno and Washoe County, NV. The FMP is part of the ongoing Reno Mitigation Study process.
SEA is issuing the FMP for public review and written comments, which are to be submitted by March 12, 1998. SEA will consider all timely comments on the FMP before making final recommendations to the Board. After full consideration of the PMP, the FMP, all public comments, and SEA’s final recommendations, the Board will issue a final decision imposing additional specific environmental mitigation measures for Reno and Washoe County that it deems to be appropriate.
SEA welcomes public input on the proposed environmental mitigation in the FMP. In addition to distributing copies of the FMP to interested parties, SEA has made copies available at the Reno and Sparks branches of the Washoe County Library.
Individuals who wish to file a comment may submit one original; governmental agencies and businesses are asked to submit an original plus 10 copies. Public comments should be submitted in writing no later than March 12, 1998 to:
Office of the Secretary
Case Control Unit - Room 715
Finance Docket No. 32760
Surface Transportation Board
1925 K Street, NW, Room 700
Washington, DC 20423-0001
In the lower left-hand corner of the envelope indicate:
Attention: Elaine K. Kaiser
Chief, Section of Environmental Analysis
Environmental Filing - Reno FMP
For further information concerning the Reno Mitigation Study FMP, contact Harold McNulty, Reno Mitigation Study Co-Director, at (202) 565-1539; TDD for the hearing impaired: (202) 565-1695.
The UP/SP merger is the case entitled Union Pacific Railroad Company, and Missouri Pacific Railroad Company--Control and Merger--Southern Pacific Rail Corporation. Southern Pacific Transportation Company, St. Louis Southwestern Railway Company, SPCSL Corp., and The Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad Company, Finance Docket No. 32760.
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