WINONA. Minn. — Winona has abandoned a court appeal of the federal government’s approval of Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad’s 880-mile expansion plan, saying it will focus instead on allaying traffic conflicts with all shipping industries that enter the city, the Winona Daily News reported.
“We feel it is important to work on all of our transportation issues in the city of Winona, of which railroads are an important part,” said Mayor Jerry Miller. Economic Director Judy Bodway and City Manager Eric Sorensen joined him in making the announcement Friday at City Hall.
The city filed its appeal in March, joining other cities and groups threatening to challenge the Surface Transportation Board’s approval of DM&E’s proposed railroad expansion. A court deadline is approaching to formalize appeal intents before hearings begin in July.
“Our efforts are better spent facing the issues that we have here,” Miller said.
The city of Mankato dropped its appeal two weeks ago. The city of Rochester, Olmsted County and the Mayo Clinic Foundation of Rochester are moving ahead with their appeals. The Sierra Club, the Sioux Nation in South Dakota, Minnesotans for an Energy Efficient Economy and the Mid-States Coalition for Progress, a group of Wyoming landowners, also are pursuing court action.
DM&E of Brookings, S.D., owns 273 miles of line across southern Minnesota that connects to Canadian Pacific Railroad just outside of Winona. It plans to construct 280 miles of new rail from South Dakota to Wyoming coal mines and rebuild 600 miles of its track.
In November, the federal transportation board ruled it would not consider environmental impacts to property beyond DM&E’s track – which undermined the city’s plea for protection against more trains. Up to 25 to 30 trains run through the heart of Winona each day, including DM&E, Burlington Northern-Sante Fe and others.
Earlier this year DM&E began pursuing another expansion when it announced it is acquiring I&M Rail Link, which has shipping rights on CP track through Winona. The 16-year-old company runs about three trains per day but proposes rolling up to 17 loaded coal trains daily from Wyoming’s Powder River Basin eastward to power plants. The proposed routes have remained uncertain and become more so if DM&E acquires I&M and expands its rail network.
“The best tactical approach is to hone in on the I&M discussion,” Sorensen said.
The expected increase in Winona’s train traffic from many rail companies, rather than the portion DM&E may contribute, is a bigger issue, Miller said. BNSF already runs coal trains through the city, he said.
“Rail traffic in this city will continue to increase,” Miller said.
The city has calculated that $26 million is needed to cushion people from train traffic. This includes sound and vibration barriers along the main rail corridor, he said.