SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD ISSUES FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR "R.J. CORMAN'S" PROPOSAL TO BUILD 20-MI. RAIL LINE IN CLEARFIELD & CENTRE COS., PA

[STBNews@xxxxxxxxxxx]

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>From the Surface Transportation Board, Washington, D.C.
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The federal Surface Transportation Board announced today that its Office of
Environmental Analysis (OEA) has issued a Final Environmental Impact
Statement (FEIS) for the R.J. Corman Railroad Company/Pennsylvania Lines
Inc. (RJCP) proposed construction, operation, and reactivation of a 20-mile
railroad line between Wallaceton and Gorton, in Clearfield and Centre
Counties, Pennsylvania.


                                        The FEIS reflects OEA's evaluation
                                        of six alternatives during the
                                        environmental review of RJCP's
                                        proposal:  the Proposed Action, an
                                        alternative to the Proposed Action
                                        (known as the Modified Proposed
                                        Action), three "no-build"
                                        alternatives, and a "no-action"
                                        alternative.  Based on consultation
                                        with federal, state, and local
                                        agencies, public input, and its own
                                        independent environmental analysis,
                                        OEA found that the Modified
                                        Proposed Action would be the
                                        environmentally preferable
                                        alternative and recommends that,
                                        should the Board authorize the
                                        project, it should authorize the
                                        Modified Proposed Action, subject
                                        to OEA's final recommended
                                        environmental mitigation.


                                        The FEIS was prepared to address
                                        public and agency comments received
                                        in response to two prior documents,
                                        the Draft Environmental Impact
                                        Statement (DEIS) issued on July 23,
                                        2010, and the Supplemental Draft
                                        Environmental Impact Statement
                                        (SDEIS) issued on March 4, 2011.


                                        Issuance of the FEIS completes the
                                        environmental review process.  The
                                        Board now will decide whether or
                                        not to grant final approval to the
                                        proposal.  In reaching a final
                                        decision, the Board will take into
                                        consideration the DEIS, SDEIS,
                                        FEIS, and OEA's final
                                        recommendations on environmental
                                        mitigation.


                                        The FEIS was issued today in the
                                        proceeding entitled R.J. Corman
                                        Railroad Company/Pennsylvania Lines
                                        Inc.—Construction and Operation
                                        Exemption—In Clearfield County, PA,
                                        Docket No. FD 35116
                                        ( http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/WebDecisionID/41994?OpenDocument )

                                        .  The entire FEIS is available for
                                        viewing and downloading via the
                                        Board's Website, at
                                        http://www.stb.dot.gov, under "
                                        E-LIBRARY" on the home page, then
                                        under "Decisions & Notices,"
                                        beneath the date "11/18/11."  The
                                        FEIS also is available under "
                                        ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS" on the home
                                        page, then under "Key Cases."


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