Bennet, Neguse Framed Letter Urging More Environmental Review of Uinta Oil Train Project
A U.S. Court Finding has converted the Surface Transportation Board’s Approval of Uinta Oil Train Project. Readers can almost feel the big sigh of relief across the central Colorado Rocky Mountains.
A protester in Glenwood Springs in 2022 makes her opinion of the Uintah Basin Rail project obvious Courtesy photo.
Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Colorado U.S. Representative Joe Neguse have consistently raised concerns about the proposed Uinta Basin Railway and its environmental risks to the entire Colorado River Basin.
In July 2022, Bennet and Neguse called on the Biden administration’s Council on Environmental Quality to review whether previous analyses fully considered the effects of the railway on Colorado’s communities, watersheds, and forests.
This past week, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) withdrew its Record of Decision that would have authorized the issuance of a special use permit for the Uinta Basin Railway.
The permit would have allowed for the construction and operation of a new rail line across 12 miles of the Ashley National Forest for the project. The project generated almost immediate opposition across several central Colorado counties. While communities located directly along the Colorado River faced immediate impacts, those with currently-dormant rail lines such as the one over Tennessee Pass into the Arkansas River Valley realized that there might be environmental risk to this drainage as well.
“Last year, a federal court agreed with Coloradans that the approval process for the Uinta Basin Railway had been gravely insufficient, and did not properly account for the project’s full risks,” said Bennet. “A derailment along the headwaters of the Colorado River could have catastrophic effects for Colorado’s communities, water, and environment. I’m glad the Forest Service has taken this important step to protect the Colorado River and the tens of millions of people who depend on it.”
“Early last year, Senator Bennet and I called on the U.S. Forest Service to complete a thorough review of the destructive impact the Uinta Basin Railway Project would have on Colorado’s local communities and environment,’ said Neguse. “Today, after heeding our calls, the agency will withdraw the railway’s Special Use Authorization — making us one step closer to avoiding the dangers that accompany this project and helping us to preserve our state’s water supplies, wildlife habitat, outdoor recreation assets, and the broader River Basin,” said Neguse.
If it were to be completed, the proposed Uinta Basin Railway Project could ship 4.6 billion gallons of waxy crude oil per year through the Ashley National Forest and Colorado. This would including more than 100 miles directly alongside the headwaters of the Colorado River – the water supply for nearly 40 million Americans, 30 Tribal nations, and millions of acres of agricultural land, not to mention that the area is a cornerstone of Colorado’s recreation and tourism economies.
Last year, a coalition of local governments in Colorado led a lawsuit opposing the railway approval citing their concerns about risks to the Colorado River, increased wildfire danger, and climate impacts. In August, a federal court overruled the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) approval of the project, vacating their environmental review, and ordered a new review.
Last month, the court denied a petition to rehear the case and halted the project. This decision led USFS to withdraw its permit since its initial decision to allow the project to move forward relied on what is considered the STB’s flawed environmental review.
“Through the concerted efforts of our local community members, elected officials and congressional delegates the City of Glenwood is incredibly relieved to know that the Uinta Project will not be allowed to move forward and that our invaluable Colorado River will be protected,” said Ingrid Wussow, Mayor, City of Glenwood Springs.
“Eagle County is thrilled with the USDA’s responsible decision to not allow the Uinta Basin project to move forward as proposed. We have been concerned with the tremendous potential and certain environmental impacts of this project since we became aware of it.” said Eagle County Commissioner Matt Scherr.
In addition to their letter to the USDA, in March 2023, the lawmakers urged the Environmental Protection Agency to conduct a supplemental review of the project to consider its risk to Colorado. Together with U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper, the three urged U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to consider the risks of approving federal financing mechanisms to fund the project.
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