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Recent Progress
The Surface Transportation Board (STB) agreed to allow WSDOT to be co-lead with the STB in performing the environmental study and documentation for the project. WSDOT's consultant began work in October 2006. Development of the scope of work revealed a need to identify important plant community and habitat information in late spring and early summer due to the growing season of potential threatened, endangered, and candidate species. As a result, the draft environmental report cannot be completed until August 2007. The final draft should be approved by May 2008. The cost of the environmental work will leave about $250,000 of the total funding available for other work. WSDOT is working with the Port of Moses Lake to explore appropriate use of the remaining funds.
A public open house was held in Moses Lake in July 2007 to explain the project and show people the proposed route. As a result of the open house, a wide range of comments were received; 58 percent of which proposed that a more northerly route be explored. This option was examined by the project team and it was found that the more northerly route did not meet the purpose and need of the project. These findings were presented at two public meetings; the Port of Moses Lake Commissioners meeting and Moses Lake City Council meeting, both held in October 2007.
The environmental work is on time and the draft documentation should be available spring 2008. A public meeting will be held to discuss this in June 2008.
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Environmental Impacts / Compliance
WSDOT, the Port of Moses Lake, and the federal STB will complete a thorough review of environmental impacts before any construction takes place.
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Impacts to Traffic
The next phase of the project will have no impact on rail operations or roadway traffic.
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