Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Powder River Basin Expansion Project

Environmental Impact Statement and Section 4(f)/303 Statement

On January 31, 2007, FRA issued a Record of Decision (ROD) on the EIS previously prepared by the Surface Transportation Board (STB) for the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad’s (DM&E) Powder River Basin Expansion Project (Project). The DM&E has applied for a $2.3 billion Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan from the FRA for the Project. FRA also issued a Section 4(f)/303 Statement for the Project.

Documents and comments may be viewed on the Federal docket system at regulations.gov under docket number FRA-2006-26099.

Background

On August 18, 2006, FRA advised Federal, state, and local agencies, Native American Tribes, the public, and other interested parties that FRA had adopted and was recirculating the Final EIS and Final Supplemental EIS for the Project prepared by the STB. FRA's review of the EIS concluded that the action encompassed by the DM&E RRIF application is substantially the same as the action documented in the EIS and SEIS, that the EIS and SEIS adequately assess the environmental impacts associated with the Project and meet the standards of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA Regulation (40 C.F.R. Parts 1500-1508), and therefore FRA could adopt the EIS and SEIS. Because the STB’s EIS for the Project did not include an evaluation pursuant to Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act (49 U.S.C. §303(c)), the FRA prepared a separate Section 4(f)/303 Statement. Also, FRA’s undertaking under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act is substantially the same as the undertaking addressed by the STB, and consequently FRA joined, as a concurring party, the March 2003 Section 106 Programmatic Agreement for the Project.

Documents

The STB website has the Draft EIS, Final EIS, Draft SEIS and Final SEIS available for viewing at www.stb.dot.gov under Environmental Matters, Key Cases, DM&E Links. The EIS is also located in 70 libraries in the Project area. The documents can also be inspected at the FRA office listed below.

Libraries

Where STB EIS on DM&E Powder River Basin Expansion Project May Be Viewed

Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt, ND
Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN
Brookings Public Library, Brookings, SD
South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD
Natrona County Public Library, Casper, WY
Wyoming State Library, Cheyenne, WY
Comfrey Public Library, Comfrey, MN
Custer County Library, Custer, SD
Converse County Library, Douglas, WY
Duluth Public Library, Duluth, MN
Presentation College Library, Eagle Butte, SD
Edgemont Public Library, Edgemont, SD
Ellsworth Air Force Base Library, Ellsworth, SD
Little Hoop Community College, Fort Totten, ND
Sitting Bull College, Fort Yates, ND
Campbell County Public Library, Gillette, WY
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO
Grinnell College Libraries, Grinnell, IA
Hyde County Library, Highmore, SD
Huron Public Library, Huron, SD
Ivanhoe Public Library, Ivanhoe, MN
Waseca-LeSueur Regional Library, Janesville, MN
Jackson County Library, Kadoka, SD
College of the Menominee Nation, Keshena, WI
Oglala Lakota College, Kyle, SD
La Crecent Public Library, La Crescent, MN
Lake Benton Public Library, Lake Benton, MN
Lake Crystal Branch of the Blue Earth County Library, Lake Crystal, MN
Dull Knife Memorial College, Lame Deer, MT
Fremont County Library System, Lander, WY
University of Wyoming Libraries, Laramie, WY
Lawton Public Library, Lawton, OK
Niobrara County Library, Lusk, WY
Mabel Public Library, Mabel, MN
Minnesota State University Memorial Library, Mankato, MN
Traverse des Sioux Library System, Mankato, MN
Minnesota Valley Regional Library, Mankato, MN
Mapleton Branch of the Blue Earth County Library, Mapleton, MN
Southwest State University Library, Marshall, MN
Marshall-Lyon County Library, Marshall, MN
Hand County Library, Miller, SD
Minneapolis Public Library, Minneapolis, MN
Sinte Gleska University, Mission, SD
Mitchell Public Library, Mitchell, SD
New Ulm Public Library, New Ulm, MN
Weston County Public Library, Newcastle, WY
North Mankato Public Library, North Mankato, MN
Northfield Public Library, Northfield, MN
Owatonna Public Library, Owatonna, MN
Haakon County Library, Philip, SD
Rawlins Municipal Library, Pierre, SD
South Dakota State Library, Pierre, SD
Fort Peck Community College, Poplar, MT
Preston Public Library, Preston, MN
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, SD
Rapid City Public Library, Rapid City, SD
Redwood Falls Public Library, Redwood Falls, MN
Fremont County Library System, Riverton, WY
Rochester Community and Technical College, Rochester, MN
Rochester Public Library, Rochester, MN
Dyckman Free Library, Sleepy Eye, MN
Springfield Public Library, Springfield, MN
Watonwan County Library, St. James, MN
St. Paul Public Library, St. Paul, MN