SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

The Surface Transportation Board’s (Board) Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) today issued a Final Environmental Assessment (EA) for CSX Transportation Inc.’s (CSXT) request for Board authority to acquire and operate the assets comprising the rail line of Meridian & Bigbee Railroad, L.L.C. (MNBR) that runs approximately 93.7 miles between Burkville and Myrtlewood, Alabama and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited’s (CPKC) request to acquire from MNBR and to operate approximately 50.4 miles of rail line between Meridian, Mississippi, and Myrtlewood, Alabama.  The public comment period ended on April 17, 2024.

The Final EA responds to comments received on the Draft EA and sets forth OEA’s final recommendations, including final recommended mitigation measures, to the Board.  Issuance of the Final EA completes the Board’s environmental review in these proceedings.  Next, the Board will consider the transportation merits of the applications for the CSXT and CPKC Transactions, and the entire environmental record, as part of its final decisions.

The Final EA for both the CSXT and CPKC Transactions, CSX Transportation, Inc.–Acquisition and Operation–Rail Line of Meridian & Bigbee Railroad, L.L.C., Docket No. FD 36727 & Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited and the Kansas City Southern Railway Company, D/B/A CPKC – Acquisition and Operation–Certain Rail Line of Meridian & Bigbee Railroad, L.L.C., in Lauderdale County, Miss. and Choctaw and Marengo Counties, Ala., Docket No. FD 36732, may be viewed and downloaded here.

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