Proposed Green Eagle Railroad of Puerto Verde Holdings in Eagle Pass Has “Potential to Result in Significant Environmental Impact,” Feds to Require an Environmental Impact Statement and Seek Public Input
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2024
On July 23, 2023, Maverick County Commissioners Court approved a resolution endorsing a private entity, Puerto Verde Holdings, LLC‘s proposal to build, design, construct, and operate a third (3rd) international bridge, the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge, north of the City of Eagle Pass, Texas as the “lead sponsor” for obtaining the required and necessary United States Presidential Permit for the private international bridge while abandoning Maverick County taxpayers interest in owning its own economic revenue generating entity-a third international bridge.
Led by Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu, Commissioners Court approved the controversial resolution with four votes in favor and one abstention. Former ardent Maverick County-owned international bridge supporter and Commissioner Roberto Ruiz, himself, made the motion at the July 23, 2023 meeting to approve the resolution while Commissioner Olga M. Ramos seconded the motion, passing with the votes of Cantu, Ruiz, Ramos, and Commissioner Rossana Rios. The lone abstention vote was Commissioner Gerardo “Jerry” Morales.
Maverick County does not own any part or percentage of this private international bridge project nor did it receive any financial compensation or consideration for its endorsement as the “lead sponsor” of it before the federal government.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal on December 11, 2023 filed a request under the Texas Public Information Act to Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu for Maverick County public records regarding the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge, which as of the date of publication of this article has failed to produce or provide.
The Puerto Verde Holdings, LLC private international bridge project, Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge, with Maverick County being the “lead sponsor” before the U. S. Department of State and related federal agencies for obtaining the Presidential Permit to construct and approve the project received a boost on December 22, 2023 when legislation to fast-track the Presidential Permit approval process was included in the $866.3 Billion National Defense Authorization Act signed by President Joe Biden. The law gives the U. S. State Department 120 days to make a recommendation to President Biden to either approve or disapprove the Presidential Permit for four international bridge projects along the Texas-Mexico border, including the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge together with the Green Eagle Railroad project in Eagle Pass, Texas.
Now, on March 29, 2024, the United States Surface Transportation Board issued a decision in Docket No. FD-36652 regarding the Green Eagle Railroad-Construction and Operation Exemption-Line of Railroad in Maverick County, Texas requiring a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and a Notice of Initiation of of the Scoping Process with request for public comments on scope of the Environmental Impact Statement and notice of the public scoping meetings be provided to the public.
According to the U. S. Surface Transportation Decision, “on December 14, 2023, Green Eagle Railroad, LLC (GER), subsidiary company of Puerto Verde Holdings, LLC (PVH), filed a petition under [Section 10502 of Title 49 of the United States Code] (USC) with the Surface Transportation Board (Board) for authority to construct and operate approximately 1.3 miles of new common carrier rail line (the Line) in Maverick County, Texas. The Line would extend from the United States-Mexico border to the existing Union Pacific Railroad (UP) connection at approximate UP milepost 31. The Line would be a part of the larger project proposed by PVH, the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge (PVGTB Project), consisting of a new trade corridor for freight rail and commercial motor vehicles between Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico and Eagle Pass, Texas, United States. THE BOARD’S OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS (OEA) DETERMINED THAT THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF THE LINE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT; THEREFORE, THE PREPARATION OF AN EIS IS APPROPRIATE pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. Sections 4321-4370m-11).”
The Decision further states “in addition, to the Line, PVGTB Project in the United States includes an approximately 1.3 mile roadway and other infrastructure as described below. Only the Line requires licensing authority from the Board. The Line and the roadway would cross the Rio Grande River via two new bridges. Separately from the Board’s final decision on GER’s petition under 49 U.S.C. Section 10502, the proposed bridges would require permits from the U. S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). USCG will participate as a Cooperating Agency in the EIS process.”
Among the key issues to be examined and public comments will be received from the public regarding the Environmental Impact Statement for the Green Eagle Railroad Line include the impact on Water Resources, Air Quality and Climate Change, Noise and Vibration, Transportation, Biological Resources, Cultural Resources, Visual Resources, Land Use, Geology and Soils, Energy Resources, Socioeconomics, Environmental Justice, Cumulative Impacts, Transboundary impacts, as appropriate, and other issues.
The U. S. Surface Transportation Board will receive public comments on the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement until April 29, 2024 (deadline for public comments). In addition to receiving written comments on the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement, the Office of Environmental Analysis will host three public scoping meetings: two in person public meetings on April 16, 2024, and a virtual public meeting on April 23, 2024.
The two public meetings for in-person public comments will be held on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at the City of Eagle Pass International Center for Trade, 3295 Bob Rogers Drive, Eagle Pass, Texas 78852 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (first session) and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. (second session).
A third public meeting for public comments will be held by virtual on-line on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For information to access the online public meeting, please visit www.greeneaglerreis.com.
Interested parties in making public comments at these three public scoping meetings regarding the potential impact of the Green Eagle Railroad Line are encouraged to file their scoping comments electronically through the Surface Transportation Board’s website at www.stb.gov by clicking on the “File an Environmental Comment” link. Scoping comments submitted in writing by mail should be addressed to: Andrea Poole, Surface Transportation Board, c/o VHB, Attention: Environmental Filing, Docket No. FD-36652, 1001 G Street, NW, Suite 1125, Washington, D. C. 2001. Please refer to Docket No. FD-36652 in all correspondence, including E-filings, addressed to the Surface Transportation Board.
For further information regarding this Green Eagle Railroad Project, please contact Andrea Poole, Office of Environmental Analysis, Surface Transportation Board, c/o VHB, 1001 G Street NW, Suite 1125, Washington, D. C. 20001; send an email to: contact@greeneaglerreis.com; or call telephone number (202) 493-0624 or 1-888-319-2337.
For more information about the Environmental Review Process for the Green Eagle Railroad Line and the Environmental Impact Statement, please visit the Surface Board of Transportation-sponsored Project website: www.greeneaglerreis.com; or the Board’s website at: www.stb.gov.
Public comments are encouraged as the Surface Board of Transportation will either authorize the the Green Eagle Railraod Line project with appropriate conditions or to deny Green Eagle Railroad’s request for authority to construct and operate the Green Eagle Railroad Line. The Green Eagle Railroad Line is not a federal government proposed or sponsored project.
Among the consequences of the proposed Green Eagle Railroad project being built, it may or will cause the displacement of several hundred homeowners in its path in the Hopedale area of Eagle Pass.
Maverick County taxpayers, as well as residents of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, are encouraged to make public comments regarding the Environmental Impact the proposed Green Eagle Railroad Line may or will have on the communities’ water resources, air quality and climate change, noise and vibration, biological resources, cultural resources, land use, visual resources, geology and soils, energy resources, socioeconomics, environmental justice, cumulative impacts, transboundary impacts, and other issues before the April 29, 2024 deadline noted above or personally attend one of the two public scoping meetings to be held on April 16, 2024 or the virtual public meeting on April 23, 2024.
Time is of the essence as there is a short period for public comments with the deadline of April 29, 2024.
