(The Associated Press circulated the following article on May 19.)
WASHINGTON — Two weeks after Sen. Mark Dayton challenged Sen. Norm Coleman and Rep. Gil Gutknecht to take a more active role in opposing the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad, the three lawmakers joined forces in urging the Bush administration to give the project a thorough review.
In a letter sent to Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta on Thursday, the trio and two other Minnesota lawmakers said they had “serious concerns” about the railroad’s $2.5 billion government loan application pending with the Federal Railroad Administration.
“The proposed $2.5 billion loan represents a major investment on behalf of the taxpayers,” said the letter, signed by Minnesota Republicans Gutknecht, Coleman, Rep. Mark Kennedy and Rep. John Kline, and Dayton, D-Minn.
“It is essential that you ensure that this loan can be repaid in full. We respectfully urge you to review this loan with the scrutiny that such a large commitment deserves.”
The lawmakers cited a report funded by the Rochester Coalition, which questioned the railroad’s ability to pay back the loan. The coalition, which includes the city of Rochester and the Mayo Clinic, has objected to the expansion because it would mean more trains — carrying coal from Wyoming’s Powder River basin — running through the city and close to the clinic.
DM&E quickly rejected that study, and earlier this week, all three members of South Dakota’s congressional delegation wrote to the Federal Railroad Administration challenging the objectivity of the study.
On May 5, Dayton called on Coleman, Gutknecht and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty to stand up to the railroad. That led to an angry retort by Coleman spokesman Tom Steward, who cited a recent Time magazine study that labeled Dayton one of the five worst senators.
In a statement Thursday, Coleman said, “This rail project is important to southern Minnesota, but the railroad must understand that if a negotiated settlement acceptable to the (Rochester) Coalition isn’t found, I will not support the project.”
The letter originated with Gutknecht, whose district includes Rochester.
“This is not a response to the senator’s challenge,” said Gutknecht spokesman Jon Yarian. “This is simply the right thing to do.”
DM&E president Kevin Schieffer said he wasn’t too worried about the letter or the report.
“Mayo’s tax-exempt resources and Rochester’s tax dollars have produced more nonsense that will be rejected as every other discredited study they have done,” he said.
Dayton said he didn’t know if his call for action led to the joint letter.
“What is important is that all of us — representing Minnesota — are working together on behalf of the critical interests of our state,” he said in a statement.