FOR RELEASE	Contact: Dennis Watson
11/05/2004 (Friday)	(202) 565-1596
No. 04-55	FIRS 1 (800) 877-8339
	www.stb.gov

Surface Transportation Board Issues Draft Environmental Impact Statement on Southwest Gulf Railroad Company’s Proposed Construction & Operation of a 7-Mile Rail Line in Medina County, Texas

The Surface Transportation Board announced today that its Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) has issued the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed construction and operation by Southwest Gulf Railroad Company (SGR) of approximately seven miles of new railroad line in Medina County, Texas. This proposal is contained in SGR's petition filed with the STB in the proceeding entitled Southwest Gulf Railroad Company--Construction and Operation Exemption--Medina County, TX, STB Finance Docket No. 34284.

SEA issued the Draft EIS as part of its environmental review process, under the National Environmental Policy Act, for this proposal to connect a proposed Vulcan Construction Materials, LP limestone quarry to the Del Rio subdivision of the Union Pacific Railroad Company, near Dunlay, TX. The Draft EIS includes SEA's analysis of the potential environmental impacts of the proposed rail line construction and operation, as well as SEA's preliminary recommendations for mitigating possible environmental effects.

SEA has distributed the Draft EIS to all parties of record (official participants in this proceeding), as well as key governmental agencies and other appropriate entities. SEA has made the Draft EIS available for review in the Hondo Public Library (1011 19th Street) in Hondo, TX, the Castroville Public Library (802 London Street) in Castroville, TX, and the San Antonio Central Library (600 Soledad) in San Antonio, TX. The entire document is also available for viewing and downloading on the STB's website at www.stb.dot.gov.

SEA invites public comment on all aspects of the Draft EIS, including SEA's proposed mitigation measures and the draft Programmatic Agreement, which sets forth procedures by which the identification and treatment of cultural resources would occur. After public comments are received, SEA will issue a Final EIS. In making its final decision in this case, the STB will consider the entire environmental record, including all public comments, the Draft EIS, the Final EIS, and SEA's final environmental mitigation recommendations.

The public may comment on the Draft EIS by submitting written comments (original and two copies) by January 10, 2005 to the following address:

Attn: Rini Ghosh

STB Docket No. FD 34284
Surface Transportation Board
Washington, DC 20423-0001

Written comments may also be filed electronically on the STB's Web site, www.stb.dot.gov, by clicking the "E-Filing" link.

In addition, SEA will host two public meetings on the Draft EIS at the following location, date, and times:

Medina County Fair Hall
733 FM 462 N
Hondo, TX 78861

Meeting 1: Thursday, December 2, 2004, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Meeting 2: Thursday, December 2, 2004, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Draft EIS was issued today in the case entitled Southwest Gulf Railroad Company--Construction and Operation Exemption--Medina County, TX, STB Finance Docket No. 34284. For further information, contact SEA's Project Manager for this project, Rini Ghosh, at (202) 565-1539. A printed copy of the Draft EIS is available for a fee by contacting ASAP Document Solutions, 9332 Annapolis Rd., Suite 103, Lanham, MD 20706, telephone (202) 306-4004, or via asapdc@verizon.net.

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