Uinta Basin Rail: Difference between revisions

The '''Uinta Basin Rail''' project is a proposed {{convert|100|mi|km|adj=on}} rail line<ref name="trains"/> to connect the [[shale oil]] rich [[Uinta Basin]] region of eastern [[Utah]] to the [[national rail network]]. Numerous proposals have been made, some as far back as 1902, that are still under consideration. The current effort is a [[Public–private partnership|public-private partnership]] between a coalition of 7 counties in Utah, the [[Rio Grande Pacific Corporation]] and [[Drexel Hamilton]] Infrastructure Partners. The railroad is also backed by the [[Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation|Ute Tribe]] who hold a 5% stake in the project.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://railfan.com/tribe-backs-uinta-basin-railroad-construction/ |title=Tribe Backs Uinta Basin Railroad Construction |author=Railfan & Railroad staff|date=September 30, 2021 |website=railfan.com |publisher=White River Productions |access-date=May 13, 2022}}</ref> If the rail line is built it will be the first major [[greenfield project|greenfield]] rail line built in the United States since the [[Chicago and North Western Transportation Company|Chicago and North Western]]’s line to the [[Powder River Basin]] was built in the early 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Franz |first=Justin |date=August 29, 2023 |title=After Court Rejects Approval, What's Next For Uinta Basin Railway? |url=https://railfan.com/after-court-rejects-approval-whats-next-for-uinta-basin-railway/ |access-date=April 2, 2024 |website=railfan.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The [[Surface Transportation Board]] approved construction of the line in December 2021, however, the approval is being challenged in court by various environmentalist groups. In 2024, the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] agreed to hear athe case ''[[Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County]]'', involving the approval to build the rail line.<ref name=SCOTUStrains/>