(The Associated Press circulated the following article on February 21.)
WASHINGTON — The Rochester Coalition and the Mayo Clinic have filed a lawsuit seeking the financial records of the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad.
DM&E wants a two-point-three billion dollar federal loan for its six billion dollar planned project to add track to the Powder River Basin coal fields in Wyoming and upgrade its existing line in South Dakota and Minnesota.
The project would involve building about 280 miles of new track and upgrading 600 miles of existing track so trains could haul coal for power plants.
The lawsuit asks a judge to direct the Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration to release the financial records.
The Rochester Coalition and Mayo oppose the train project because it would mean more trains running through the city and close to the clinic.