Current:Home > BackForest Service pulls right-of-way permit that would have allowed construction of Utah oil railroad-LoTradeCoin
Forest Service pulls right-of-way permit that would have allowed construction of Utah oil railroad
View Date:2024-12-23 16:10:21
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday withdrew its approval of a right-of-way permit that would have allowed the construction of a railroad project through about 12 miles (19 kilometers) of roadless, protected forest in northeastern Utah.
The decision affecting the Ashley National Forest follows a U.S. appeals court ruling in August that struck down a critical approval involving the Uinta Basin Railway, a proposed 88-mile (142-kilometer) railroad line that would connect oil and gas producers in rural Utah to the broader rail network. It would allow them to access larger markets and ultimately sell to refineries near the Gulf of Mexico.
“It’s a victory for the Colorado River and nearby communities that would be threatened by oil train accidents and spills, and for residents of the Gulf Coast, where billions of gallons of oil would be refined,” said Ted Zukoski, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, one of several groups that has sued over the project.
He vowed to fight any attempt to build the railroad. An attempt to reach the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, which is spearheading the project, was unsuccessful Wednesday evening.
In the August ruling, the Washington, D.C.-based appeals court decided that a 2021 environmental impact statement and opinion from the federal Surface Transportation Board were rushed and violated federal laws. It sided with environmental groups and Colorado’s Eagle County, which had sued to challenge the approval.
The court said the board had engaged in only a “paltry discussion” of the environmental impact the project could have on the communities and species who would live along the line — as well as the “downline” communities who live along railroads where oil trains would travel.
“The limited weighing of the other environmental policies the board did undertake fails to demonstrate any serious grappling with the significant potential for environmental harm stemming from the project,” the ruling stated.
The Forest Service’s decision Wednesday to withdraw its approval was based on the appeals court ruling, but Ashley National Forest Supervisor Susan Eickhoff said the agency could issue a new decision if deficiencies in the environmental impact statement are addressed.
If approved, the railroad would let producers, currently limited to tanker trucks, ship an additional 350,000 barrels of crude oil daily on trains extending for up to 2 miles (3.2 kilometers).
veryGood! (9)
Related
- Birth control and abortion pill requests have surged since Trump won the election
- The odyssey of asylum-seekers and the failure of EU regulations
- Former Gary police officer sentenced to year in prison for violating handcuffed man’s civil rights
- Judges free police officer suspected in killing of teen in suburban Paris that set off French riots
- Bull doge! Dogecoin soars as Trump announces a government efficiency group nicknamed DOGE
- Ousted Texas bishop rallies outside US bishops meeting as his peers reinforce Catholic voter values
- Horoscopes Today, November 15, 2023
- Progress in childhood cancer has stalled for Blacks and Hispanics, report says
- These Yellowstone Gift Guide Picks Will Make You Feel Like You’re on the Dutton Ranch
- First time cooking a turkey? This recipe promises a juicy roast with less work
Ranking
- Trump ally Steve Bannon blasts ‘lawfare’ as he faces New York trial after federal prison stint
- Rage rooms are meant for people to let off steam. So why are some making it about sex?
- Texas A&M firing Jimbo Fisher started the coaching carousel. College Football Fix discusses
- New York sues PepsiCo Inc. for plastic pollution, alleging the company contaminated drinking water
- What that 'Disclaimer' twist says about the misogyny in all of us
- US Coast Guard searches for crew member who fell from cruise ship near Puerto Rico
- A cargo plane returns to JFK Airport after a horse escapes its stall, pilot dumps 20 tons of fuel
- House Republicans request interview with Hunter Biden ally, entertainment lawyer Kevin Morris
Recommendation
-
The USDA is testing raw milk for the avian flu. Is raw milk safe?
-
Michigan has no records of Connor Stalions filing any expense reports, FOIA request shows
-
12 starts, $230 million: Timeline of Deshaun Watson's Browns tenure with guaranteed contract
-
Business lobby attacks as New York nears a noncompete ban, rare in the US
-
Pistons' Tim Hardaway Jr. leaves in wheelchair after banging head on court
-
The Best Early Black Friday Bra Deals from Victoria’s Secret, Savage X Fenty, Calvin Klein & More
-
Texas inmate faces execution for 2001 abduction and strangulation of 5-year-old girl
-
Brewers announce Pat Murphy as 20th manager in franchise history