On Dec. 13, the STB’s Office of Environmental Analysis published the Final Scope of Study for the Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Uinta Basin Railway. A cooperative regional planning group called the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition has proposed building a brand new railroad that will stretch more than 80 miles from the Union Pacific’s Provo Subdivision at Kyune, Utah, northeast toward South Myton Bench and Leland Bench, Utah.
The project dates back to 2012 when the U.S. Department of Transportation began studying a new rail line to reach the basin’s natural resources, specifically oil.
According to the scope of study, the railroad’s backers expect anywhere from three to 10 trains a day on the route.
Since 2012, 30 different routes connecting the Uinta Basin with the national rail network have been considered. Some were eliminated due to impacts to a nearby national park or lack of competitive rail access. At one point, the backers considered building a 185-mile route east to connect with the former Denver & Rio Grande Western Craig Branch but later decided that building west, toward UP’s Soldier Summit route, would be preferable because it would also connect with BNSF Railway. The eventual environmental impact study will consider three different routes – the Whitmore Park Alternative, the Indian Canyon Alternative, and the Wells Draw Alternative – as well as what would happen if the railroad was not built.
The environmental impact study will consider a wide range of issues, including impacts the proposed railroad might have on wildlife, air quality, safety, and recreation.
An earlier study of the railroad found that would require 2.4 percent grades and multiple multiple bridges and tunnels.
