GER, a subsidiary of Puerto Verde Holdings (PVH), in 2023 filed a petition for the exemption, telling the STB that the purpose of the line was “to develop an economically viable solution to meet the needs for border infrastructure improvements that will increase safety and facilitate crucial binational trade between the United States and Mexico.”
The line is part of the larger Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge project, a proposal to create a new trade corridor for freight traffic and commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) between Eagle Pass, Tex., across the U.S.-Mexico border, and into the Mexican State of Coahuila, the STB noted in its decision announcement (scroll down to download complete decision).
“The line would extend from the U.S.-Mexico border to connect with Union Pacific Railroad (UP) near UP’s Eagle Pass Subdivision and would route rail and CMV traffic around the urban center of Eagle Pass, with the potential to improve safety, security, capacity, and fluidity at Eagle Pass,” STB reported. “GER stated that the line, and the overall project, would be fully fenced, monitored, and patrolled.”
The STB said it has authorized the “environmentally preferred route, the Southern Rail Alternative, subject to certain environmental mitigation conditions.” Should GER construct and operate the line, STB noted that “it has the potential to increase safety and security and, in turn, encourage competition with other border crossings.” The Board’s environmental analysis, it noted, “also identifies beneficial impacts on freight rail safety, grade crossing delays, air quality, and energy.”
The STB in its decision announcement said that “GER’s representations on the record that it will not construct and operate the line without reaching agreements with UP and BNSF Railway (BNSF) are material to GER’s proposal and the Board’s analysis of the proposal, and thus GER must inform the Board prior to construction if there are developments that change this representation.”
The STB decision further added: “In light of GER’s material representation that it will not begin construction absent agreements with UP and BNSF to shift their Eagle Pass traffic to the Line post-construction, shippers will be protected from the potential operational issues that might result from adding another carrier to the traffic pattern at issue here. Those agreements will also help ensure shipper access to each interchange partner.”
According to the STB, GER must file a status report on the progress of the project, including updates on the progress of negotiations with UP and BNSF, in six months, then annually thereafter.
Petitions for reconsideration must be filed by May 12, 2026.
Further Reading:
DOWNLOAD APRIL 22 STB DECISION BELOW:
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