(The Associated Press circulated the following article on September 27.)
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — A top-level federal official from Washington will be in South Dakota on Tuesday to talk with those who support conversion of the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad into a major coal-hauling line.
Federal Undersecretary of Transportation Jeff Shane will attend a community forum in Huron, and US Senators Tim Johnson and John Thune will also be on hand.
DM&E wants to upgrade its tracks in South Dakota and extend them into Wyoming so it can transport coal across South Dakota and Minnesota.
The project was first announced several years ago, but it’s been delayed by the federal permit process and DM&E’s inability to obtain sufficient financing.
The railroad is currently awaiting word on a request for a 2.3 billion dollar loan from the Federal Railroad Administration.