Federal Transportation Board rejects Great Lakes Basin rail line

By Kevin Haas
Staff writer
By Susan Vela
Staff writer

Posted Aug 31, 2017 at 12:40 PM Updated Sep 1, 2017 at 12:11 AM

ROCKFORD — The U.S. Surface Transportation Board has rejected a proposal to build a 261-mile railroad that would have cut through the Rockford area as it moved through Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana.

In a decision Wednesday, the board said that Great Lakes Basin Transportation’s financial information was “fundamentally flawed,” making it impossible for the board to determine whether the proposal meets necessary criteria.

Construction projects are not required to be fully funded in the early stages of an application. However, financial fitness of the company behind a proposal is part of the application process, the board says in its decision.

Great Lakes’ assets “are so clearly deficient for purposes of constructing a 261-mile rail line that the board will not proceed with this application given the impacts on stakeholders and the demands upon board resources.”

Great Lakes may file a new application to meet the board’s criteria.

“Resubmitting is an option, but we have made no decision whether we’re going to do that or not,” said Mike Blaszak, Great Lakes’ chief legal and administrative officer.

He declined further comment.

Jim Webster, a Winnebago County Board member who introduced a unanimously approved resolution opposing the railroad, said the Surface Transportation Board’s decision was “the best news I’ve had in a long time for the people of Winnebago County.”

The proposed freight line would have crossed through Webster’s district, and he said, “There was no real benefit to any of us here for that.”

Vicky Rowley organized an October rally against the railroad at her Winnebago Township farm property.

If GLBT submits another application, she plans to renew her protest.

“We were definitely not in support of it at all,” Rowley said. “I’m just so relieved that they didn’t approve it. It would have just been devastating for all the farms in the area. It was just unbelievable.”

Rockton farm owner Marilyn Mohring, 77, has been staying apprised of GLBT’s railroad plans via the Winnebago County Against GLB Railroad’s Facebook page.

“Just no” is what she thought when she first heard that more trains could run through her community.

She and her husband wrote letters of protest and also provided some financial support to stop the railroad proposal. They had concerns about noise, accidents and damage to creeks and wetlands.

“We just didn’t believe it was a viable thing,” she said. “It was going to disrupt way too many farms.”

Worried property owners formed several groups in Illinois and Wisconsin once they learned the controversial rail line might run through their communities. They included Winnebago County Against GLB Railroad and Citizens Against the GLB Railroad in Boone County. They wrote letters, attended meetings and informed neighbors.

Burritt Township farmer Lana Daly ended up being spokeswoman of Winnebago County Against GLB Railroad because of the potential railroad’s threat to her centennial farm. While relieved by the board’s decision, she plans to remain vigilant.

“It’s exciting to think that we’ve been part of the journey,” she said. “But I do think we need to be diligent. I don’t think it’s time to put down the torch and run the other way. It’s going to be ongoing.”

Susan Vela: 815-987-1392; svela@rrstar.com; @susanvela

Kevin Haas: 815-987-1410; khaas@rrstar.com; @KevinMHaas

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/news/20170831/federal-transportation-board-rejects-great-lakes-basin-rail-line