The review will still include an Environmental Impact Statement. Still, the board’s decision removes the draft EIS and final scope study steps. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

STB Approves Eagle Pass Bypass: UP and BNSF Freight Set to Shift

The Surface Transportation Board has opened a proceeding on Nevada Gold Rail’s plan. The plan covers about 55.7 miles of new railroad in Nevada’s Eureka and Lander counties. The proposed line would connect two Nevada Gold Mines LLC facilities with the Union Pacific main line.

Nevada Gold Rail proposal and NEPA review

The board said it is waiving certain requirements. These waivers are tied to recent changes in how the National Environmental Policy Act is interpreted and applied. Also, those changes streamline permitting while giving the public earlier opportunities to comment.

According to NG Rail, the line would allow gold ore to move by rail rather than by truckload. In addition, the company says rail transport would be safer, more cost-effective, and more environmentally friendly than trucking the ore.

The STB has determined that an Environmental Impact Statement is appropriate for the proposal. Meanwhile, the EIS process will include public involvement early in the environmental review. It will also allow the board to consider the line’s potential environmental effects under federal law.

Public comment and scope-study waiver

The agency has requested preliminary comments from appropriate federal, state, tribal, and local agencies. Separately, it plans to hold public meetings, provide further opportunities for public comment, and launch a project webpage. That webpage will be updated during the EIS process.

Under the board’s decision, Nevada Gold Rail will not need a final scope study or a draft EIS.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed:

Don’t miss…West Midlands Railway strikes: routes, times and refunds