Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr. Pens Letter Raising Serious Concerns Regarding Green Eagle Railroad and Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridges
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2024
The United States Surface Transportation Board (STB) of Washington, D. C. issued a Notice of Intent Decision on March 29, 2024 to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS), initiation of the scoping process, request for public comments on scope of the EIS, and scheduled notice of public scoping meetings in Eagle Pass, Texas regarding Green Eagle Railroad, LLC (GER), a subsidiary of Puerto Verde Holdings, LLC (PVH), for authority to construct and operate approximately 1.3 miles of a new common rail line in Eagle Pass, Maverick County, Texas.
The STB has scheduled three public meetings for Eagle Pass and Maverick County residents to express their public comments concerning the environmental impact of the proposed Green Eagle Railroad, which is part of a larger project proposed by Puerto Verde Holdings and the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge (PVGTB) to construct and operate two international bridges, one a freight and commercial motor vehicle bridge and a second being a railroad bridge, in Eagle Pass, Texas. Two in-person public meetings are scheduled on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and another one from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Eagle Pass International Center for Trade, 3295 Bob Rogers Drive, Eagle Pass, Texas, and a third public meeting by virtual online on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at www.greeneaglereis.com .
Because the STB’s Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) determined that “the construction and operation of the [GER] Line has the potential to result in significant environmental impacts; therefore, the preparation of an EIS is appropriate pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act….”
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas by and through its Mayor Rolando Salinas, Jr. submitted a letter, dated January 5, 2023, to the STB’s Office of Environmental Analysis expressing the City’s response to Green Eagle Railroad’s application to construct and operate a new railroad line from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico to Eagle Pass, Texas, detailing serious and grave concerns the proposed Green Eagle Railroad and the larger Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridges project would have on the City of Eagle Pass and its citizens.
The Eagle Pass Business Journal obtained a copy of the City of Eagle Pass’ January 5, 2023 Letter to the STB’s Office of Environmental Analysis from Mayor Salinas.
In the January 5, 2023 Letter, Mayor Salinas outlined a series of serious and grave concerns the City of Eagle Pass has concerning the proposed authorization of the Green Eagle Railroad and Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridges.
The City and Mayor Salinas’ first concern raised in the letter is that the “Green Eagle Railroad and Puerto Verde International Bridge would have a profound negative influence on population, growth, high-density urbanization, industrial expansion, resource exploitation, and new and expanding technological advances and would negatively impact the importance of restoring and maintaining environmental quality.” In support of this argument, Salinas states that the “project would require careful assessment and planning to ensure that the water and sewer systems, the utility infrastructure, and the stormwater management systems can support the increased demand and activity without compromising the quality of the Rio Grande River, the only water source for our community, and the current infrastructures.”
Salinas adds that the City has concerns regarding the “projected development’s potential effect on the environment because it includes more power generating facilities. The concerns include which type of energy sources will be used, potential emissions and adherence to environmental regulations to minimize any adverse effect on the air and water quality near residential areas and waterways.”
Salinas notes “the proposed rail line is located in the back yard of neighborhoods and noise and air pollution are a concern for the citizens of those neighborhoods….The proposed rail transportation project in Maverick County poses several challenges and risks for the safety and security of the residents and wildlife in the area.”
The second area of concern states that the “Green Eagle Railroad and Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridges “fails to assure a safe, healthful, productive, esthetically, and culturally pleasing surroundings for all Americans.” In support of this argument, Salinas states that “the project poses several security and environmental challenges that need to be addressed before it can be implemented. Given the international nature of the corridor, security measures such as surveillance and monitoring systems would be crucial to ensure the safety of the the development and the surrounding residential areas….The…project also raises serious questions concerning the safety and well-being of the citizens residing in the target area of construction.”
The third argument raised by the City of Eagle Pass is that “the Green Eagle Rail Line and Puerto Verde International Bridge will impose detrimental effects on regional and local transportation systems and patterns.” In support of this argument, Salinas notes that “the proposed Green Eagle Line is to cross Del Rio Blvd., a five lane high traffic road. This road is the only road that serves as an entrance to and exit from the North of our city to Highway 277. The construction of railroad lines, bridges, and roadways could increase traffic congestion and alter traffic flows in the area….If the Puerto Verde Bridge is open to commercial vehicles, this will cause a massive increase of commercial traffic on Veterans Bouldevard, a highly trafficked boulevard with residential areas nearby, affecting the normal commuting of the residents.”
Salinas adds that “the proposed increase in transportation activity could also strain the existing road infrastructure, imposing upgrades, or maintenance….The impact…could affect the accessibility and mobility of both residential and commercial areas, raising concerns about the design, capacity, and maintenance of these roads and bridges. Additionally, safety measures such as traffic controls, signalizaiton, and signage would need to be to be in place to minimize the risk of accidents. The potential disruptions to local transportation systems would need to be assessed and addressed, especially in the event of a flood….The placement of structures on the Rio Grande River makes them susceptible to extreme weather or flood events, which could compromise their functionality and safety.”
The fourth argument raised in the City’s letter states that the “Green Eagle Rail Lien and Puerto Verde International Bridge will impede on prime agricultural land. In support, the letter provides that “development of this magnitude along a FEMA floodplain will require a thorough stormwater management plan to ensure it can handle heavy rainfall and prevent flooding, safeguarding both the development and surrounding residential areas. The development may alter natural water flow patterns and increase the risk of flooding, requiring comprehensive floodplain management strategies to safeguard both the development and nearby residential areas.”
The fifth argument in the City’s Letter states that “the Green Eagle Rail Line and Puerto Verde International Bridge will cause a significant increase in noise level decibels. One of the potential environmental impacts of the proposed development project is noise pollution.”
The sixth argument made by the City is that the “Green Eagle Rail Line and Puerto Verde International Bridge will have a detrimental effect on public health regarding water pollution, air pollution, flooding, and public safety….Proximity to waterways leading to the Rio Grande River raises concerns about potential water pollution from construction activities, operations processes, or accidental chemical spills affecting the river ecosystem….The potential disruptions to local transportation systems would need to be assessed and addressed, especially in the event of flood.”
The seventh and final argument raised in the City’s Letter concerns environmental justice issues. In support thereof, Salinas states that “based on information available, the proposed project will have a significant detrimental financial effects for the City of Eagle Pass. The City relies heavily on revenues generated through tolls on the City’s two international bridges. As a border community, these resources are used to offset the higher public safety costs necessary to meet the demands of cross border trafffic. The proposed project is projected to result in short-term revenue losses of $4.5 million to $6 million annually or approximately 17% of the City’s operating budget.”
Salinas adds that “The City will be required to make drastic cuts to city services and to eliminate, at a minimum, 75 full-time positions, including a minimum of 30 police officer and firefighter/EMT positions. The City of Eagle Pass provides fire and EMS services to all Maverick County, including the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, and emergency medical service call response times will be significantly impacted. Low-income residents living in distant colonies and tribal residents will be most affected by delayed response times to emergency calls.”
The City Letter provides other arguments and concerns but are too lengthy to publish all in this article. Please read the City’s Letter published in the Facebook Page of this publication.
Thus, the City of Eagle Pass has raised serious and grave concerns regarding the approval of the proposed Green Eagle Railroad Line and the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridges and the significant impact it will have on the environment in the community.
The public is cordially invited to attend and participate in one or more of the three public meetings scheduled on April 16 (in-person) and April 23 (virtual online), 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas by the STB.
Although the proposed Green Eagle Railroad Line and the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridges are sponsored by Maverick County, the taxpayers of Maverick County do not own these two proposed bridges as they belong to a private business company composed of investors seeking to profit from their investment in perpetuity.
