P O R T BI E N VILL E R AIL R O A D

C O M BI N E D FI N AL E N VI R O N M E N T AL 

I M P A C T S T A T E M E N T A N D 

R E C O R D O F D E CI SI O N 

A P P E N DI X 

P U BLI C H E A RI N G M A T E RI AL S

Pr e p ar e d f or:

F e d er al R ail A d mi nistr ati o n

Mississi p pi D e p art m e nt f Tr a ns p ort ati o n
T his p a g e i nt e nti o n ally l eft bl a n k.
Port Bienville 

Draft Environ mental I mpact State ment

Public Hearing

October 23, 2018

c d ms mit h.c o m

Why This 

Project Matters

Ec o n o mic F e asi bilit y St u d y Fi n di n gs

A n e w r ail c o n n ecti o n t o a s ec o n d m aj or r ailr o a d w o ul d pr o vi d e b e n e fits s uc h as:

Existi n g b usi n ess es will b e s er v e d by acc ess t o t w o m aj or r ailr o a ds.

m pr o v e d r ail tr a nsit ti m es, r ail s er vic e acc ess, a n d r eli a bilit y of d eli v eri es.

M or e c o m p etiti v e r ail a n d m ulti- m o d al tr a ns p ort ati o n c osts.

M a n uf act uri n g e m pl o y m e nt gr o wt h pr oj ect e d t o i ncr e as e 3 3. 8 % b ec a us e 

of n e w r ail c o n n ect or o v er t h e n e xt 2 5 y e ars.

R ail Tr a ns p ort ati o n: A n Ec o n o mic Dri v er f or H a nc oc k & 

P e arl Ri v er C o u nti es

Existi n g b usi n ess es s hi p ov er $ 1 billi o n by r ail a n n u ally.

Pr o p os e d 2 4- mil e pr oj ect w o ul d pr o vi d e acc ess t o t w o Cl ass 1 r ailr o a ds, 

si g ni fic a ntly i m pr o vi n g r ail s er vic e, r eli a bilit y, a n d c o m p etiti v e n ess f or existi n g 

i n d ustri es, as w ell as pr o vi d e t h e o p p ort u nit y f or r ail acc ess t o St e n nis S p ac e 

C e nt er.

cc ess t o t w o Cl ass 1 r ailr o a ds is a k ey sit e l oc ati o n f act or f or m a ny c o m p a ni es

e n g a g e d i n a er os p ac e a n d avi ati o n, a ut o m oti v e, l o gistics, a n d p etr oc h e mic al

m a n uf act uri n g.

R ec e nt st u di es d oc u m e nt acc ess t o m ulti pl e Cl ass 1 r ailr o a ds i m pr o v es 

c o m p etiti v e tr a ns p ort ati o n c osts, acc ess t o m or e d o m estic a n d i nt er n ati o n al 

m ark ets, i m pr o v e d d eli v er y r eli a bilit y, a n d i ncr e as e d gl o b al tr a d e o p p ort u niti es.

H a nc oc k & P e arl Ri v er C o u nti es: A P o w er h o us e 

f or Ec o n o mic D e v el o p m e nt 

Existi n g b usi n ess es w o ul d b e n e fit fr o m t h e ex p a n d e d r ail s er vic e all o wi n g t h es e 

e m pl oy ers t o c o nti n u e t o gr o w a n d pr os p er i n t h e r e gi o n. Acc ess t o t h es e t w o Cl ass 

1 r ailr o a ds c a n pr o vi d e tr a ns p ort ati o n a n d ec o n o mic r esili e nc e f or t his r e gi o n of t h e 

G ulf C o ast i n t h e e v e nt of f ut ur e n at ur al dis ast ers. T his pr oj ect h el ps t o e ns ur e P ort 

Bi e nvill e a n d St e n nis S p ac e C e nt er c o nti n u e t o pl ay a pi v ot al r ol e i n t h e r ec ov er y 

a n d e m er g e nc e of t his r e gi o n as a n ec o n o mic  p o w er h o us e.

N e xt St e ps

R e vis e t h e pr ef err e d 

alt er n ati v e b as e d o n 

p u blic c o m m e nts 

Fi n al E n vir o n m e nt al 

I m p act St at e m e nt 

a n d R ec or d of 

D ecisi o n

I d e ntif y f u n di n g 

s o urc es f or 

c o nstr ucti o n

Fi n al d esi g n

P er mitti n g

Ri g ht- of- w a y 

ac q uisiti o n

C o nstr ucti o n

N e c ess ar y P er mits

I m p a ct or Acti o n A p pli c a bl e 

L a ws/ R e g ul ati o ns

W etl a n ds/ 

Wat ers of t h e U. S.

S ecti o n 4 0 4 of t h e 

Cl e a n Wat er Act ( C W A)

Wat er Q u alit y S ecti o n 4 0 1 of t h e C W A

St or m w at er S ecti o n 4 0 2 of t h e C W A

Far ml a n d Far ml a n d Pr ot ecti o n P olic y 

Act ( F P P A)

T hr e at e n e d/ 

E n d a n g er e d 

S p eci es

E n d a n g er e d S p eci es Act 

( E S A) of 1 9 7 3

C o ast al Z o n e C o ast al Z o n e M a n a g e m e nt 

Act of 1 9 7 2

C ult ur al R es o urc es

S ecti o n 1 0 6 of t h e N ati o n al 

Hist oric Pr es er v ati o n Act of 

1 9 6 6, as a m e n d e d

Fl o o d pl ai n

N ati o n al Fl o o d I ns ur a nc e 

Pr o gr a m ( N FI P); E x ec uti v e 

Or d ers 1 1 9 8 8 a n d 1 1 9 9 0
Y o ur C o m m e nts ar e 

I m p ort a nt t o Us!

C o m m e nts m ust b e r ec ei v e d 

b y N o v e m b er 5, 2 0 1 8

C o m pl et e a n d s u b mit a 

c o m m e nt s h e et t o ni g ht or 

m ail it l at er t o t h e a d dr ess 

n ot e d o n t h e c o m m e nt 

s h e et.

E m ail y o ur c o m m e nts t o 

e n vir o n m e nt al c o m m e nts @

m d ot. ms. g o v

Fa x y o ur c o m e nts t o 

6 0 1- 3 5 9- 7 3 5 5.

Pr oj ect P ur p os e

Pr o vi d e acc ess t o 

t w o m aj or r ailr o a ds: 

m pr o v e r ail 

tr a ns p ort ti m e 

a n d r eli a bilit y.

m pr o v e

ec o n o mic

o p p ort u niti es.

r o vi d e fl e xi bilit y/

o pti o ns d uri n g 

e m er g e nci es a n d 

c o ast al st or ms.

The Project

Pr oj ect St u d y Te a m

H a nc ock C o u nt y P orts a n d H ar b or C o m missi o n s ec ur e d a F e d er al R ailr o a d A d mi nistr ati o n ( F R A) Gr a nt f or 

t h e P ort Bi e nvill e R ail St u dy. I n a m ulti- a g e nc y c o or di n ati o n e ff ort, t h e F R A a n d Mississi p pi D e p art m e nt of 

Tr a ns p ort ati o n ar e w orki n g wit h c o o p er ati n g a g e nci es. w hic h i ncl u d e:

U. S. Fis h a n d Wil dlif e S er vic e

N ati o n al M ari n e Fis h eri es  S er vic e

S ur f ac e Tr a ns p ort ati o n  B o ar d

Pr oj ect P ur p os e a n d N e e d

P ort Bi e nvill e c urr e ntly c o n n ects t o C S X, w hic h is l oc at e d al o n g t h e c o ast a n d s er v es as a pri m ar y e ast/ w est 

r ail c o n n ecti o n. T h e C S X r ail li n e is l oc at e d i n t h e st or m s ur g e z o n e a n d h as ex p eri e nc e d si g ni fic a nt s er vic e 

disr u pti o ns i n t h e p ast d u e t o n at ur al dis ast ers, li miti n g i nt er m o d al c o n n ecti o ns i nt o a n d o ut of t h e P ort 

a n d r es ulti n g i n r ail cl os ur es i n t h e w ak e of t h es e e v e nts. T h er e is c urr e ntly n o n ort h/s o ut h r ail c o n n ecti o n 

at t h e P ort Bi e nvill e I n d ustri al Park sit e. T h e pr o p os e d r ail li n e w o ul d pr o vi d e a n ort h/s o ut h r ail c o n n ecti o n 

t o N orf olk S o ut h er n ( N S), pr o vi di n g a n a d diti o n al o pti o n f or r ail tr a ns p ort w hil e b ei n g l oc at e d o ut of h ar m’s 

w ay, i m pr o vi n g tr a ns p ort ati o n a n d ec o n o mic r esili e nc e f or t h e e ntir e r e gi o n.

W h at is a n EI S?

T h e N ati o n al E nvir o n m e nt al P olic y Act ( N E P A) is a pr oc e d ur al l a w t h at r e q uir es tr a ns p ort ati o n o ffici als t o 

m ak e d ecisi o ns t h at b al a nc e e n gi n e eri n g wit h s oci al, ec o n o mic, a n d n at ur al e nvir o n m e nt al f act ors. D uri n g 

t h e N E P A pr oc ess, a wi d e r a n g e of p art n ers i ncl u di n g t h e p u blic, b usi n ess, i nt er est gr o u ps, a n d a g e nci es at 

all l e v els of g ov er n m e nt, pr o vi d e i n p ut i nt o t h e pr oc ess.

N E P A r e q uir es F e d er al a g e nci es t o pr e p ar e a n E nvir o n m e nt al I m p act St at e m e nt ( EI S) f or m aj or F e d er al 

acti o ns t h at si g ni fic a ntly a ff ect t h e q u alit y of t h e h u m a n e nvir o n m e nt. A n EI S is a f ull discl os ur e d oc u m e nt 

t h at d et ails t h e pr oc ess t hr o u g h a r a n g e of r e as o n a bl e alt er n ati v es, t h e p ot e nti al i m p act of alt er n ati v es, a n d 

c o m pli a nc e wit h a p plic a bl e e nvi o n m e nt al l a ws. T h e EI S d oc u m e nt c o nsists of: 

 A pr oj ect d escri pti o n.

 T h e p ur p os e a n d n e e d f or t h e pr oj ect.

 A n a n alysis of p ossi bl e alt er n ati v es. 

 St u di es of t h e existi n g h u m a n a n d n at ur al 

e nvir o n m e nt.

 I d e nti fic ati o n of a pr ef err e d alt er n ati v e.

 As u m m ar y of p ot e nti al e ff ects o n t h e 

e nvir o n m e nt.

 As u m m ar y of p u blic i nv ol v e m e nt, i n p ut, a n d 

c o m m e nts.

 As u m m ar y of c o or di n ati o n e ff orts wit h r es o urc e 

a n d r e g ul at or y a g e nci es.

What Is the Preferred Alternative? T h e B uil d Alt er n ati v e h as b e e n i d e ntifi e d as t h e Pr ef err e d Alt er n ati v e, w hic h 

i ncl u d es t h e c o nstr ucti o n of a n e w pr op os e d r ail li n e, a p pr oxi m at el y 2 4 mil es i n 

l e n gt h. T h e pr o p os e d r ail li n e w o ul d pr o vi d e 

a dir ect c o n n ecti o n b et w e e n t h e P ort Bi e nvill e R ailr o a d ( P B R R) a n d t h e N S r ail li n e n e ar I- 5 9, 

n ort h of N A S A’s J o h n C. St e n nis S p ac e C e nt er ( S S C). 

T h e alt er n ati v es d e v el o p m e nt pr oc ess w as it er ati v e 

i n n at ur e, pr o vi di n g a c o nti n u o us q u a nti fic ati o n a n d 

c o m p aris o n of i m p acts t o a n e q u al l e v el of d et ail as t h e 

alt er n ati v es w er e m o di fi e d b as e d o n d esi g n crit eri a, c ost, 

a n d ot h er c o nsi d er ati o ns d uri n g Pr oj ect d e v el o p m e nt. 

R ef er t o t h e D EI S f or t h e alt er n ati v es c o nsi d er e d. 

T h e B uil d Alt er n ati v e w o ul d i m p act b ot h t h e n at ur al a n d 

h u m a n e n vir o n m e nt. T h e pri m ar y i m p acts w o ul d i ncl u d e 

str e a ms, w etl a n ds, f ar ml a n ds, fl o o d pl ai ns, n ois e, vi br ati o n, 

pi p eli n es, 

bri d g es, 

at- gr a d e 

cr ossi n gs, a n d 

c o nstr ucti o n c osts. 

H o w e v er, t h e B uil d 

Alt er n ati v e w o ul d als o 

r es ult i n p ot e nti al 

ec o n o mic b e n e fits 

a n d o p p ort u niti es t o t h e r e gi o n 

s uc h as: 

o w er r ail 

r at es f or e xisti n g 

b usi n ess es, 

e n a bli n g t h es e 

c o m p a ni es t o b e 

m or e c o m p etiti v e 

a n d i ncr e as e s al es a n d 

pr o d ucti o n, cr e ati n g 

a d diti o n al e m pl o ym e nt a n d i n v est m e nt 

i n H a nc oc k C o u nt y. 

I ncr e as e d j o b o p p ort u niti es at 

c o m p a ni es wit hi n P ort Bi e n vill e 

I n d ustri al P ar k i n t h e 5‐ y e ar p eri o d 

f oll o wi n g t h e c o m pl eti o n of t h e pr o p os e d P B R R t o m e et i ncr e as e d c ust o m er d e m a n d. 

S u p p ort a d diti o n al e m pl o y m e nt a n d n e w i n v est m e nt i n pl a nts a n d 

e q ui p m e nt fr o m e xisti n g b usi n ess es a n d t h e l oc ati o n of n e w c o m p a ni es 

t h at r e q uir e or w o ul d b e n e fit fr o m acc ess t o d u al Cl ass 1 r ail s er vic es. 

All o w b usi n ess es i n t h e P ort Bi e n vill e I n d ustri al P ar k gr e at er 

o p p ort u niti es f or i ncr e asi n g e x p orts t o s o m e r e gi o ns.

U p o n si g ni n g of t h e Dr aft EI S, F R A p u blis h e d a v ail a bilit y of t h e d oc u m e nt f or r e vi e w i n 

t h e F e d er al R e gist er. F R A p u blis h e d t h e Dr aft EI S i n t h e F e d er al R e gist er o n S e pt e m b er 

2 1, 2 0 1 8 . T h e Dr aft EI S is a v ail a bl e f or a 4 5- d a y p u blic c o m m e nt p eri o d, w hic h will 

e n d o n N o v e m b er 5, 2 0 1 8 . T his p u blic h e ari n g pr o vi d es i nt er est e d citiz e ns a n d 

b usi n ess es a n o p p ort u nit y t o r e vi e w t h e B uil d ( Pr ef err e d) Alt er n ati v e a n d pr o vi d e 

c o m m e nts o n t h e Pr oj ect. All c o m m e nts r ec ei v e d o n t h e Pr oj ect fr o m t h e p u blic 

a n d a g e nci es will b e a d dr ess e d i n t h e Fi n al EI S a n d R ec or d of D ecisi o n ( R O D).

S U M M A R Y O F I M P A C T S A N D C O S T S

I m p act C at e g or y 

( U nits)

N o- B uil d 

Alt er n ati v e

B uil d 

Alt er n ati v e

H U M A N E N VI R O N M E N T

C ult ur al R es o urc es 

( Sit es) N/ A

Far ml a n d ( Acr es) N/ A 2 2 2

N ois e 

( N o. of s e nsiti v e 

r ec e pt ors)

N/ A 2 S e v er e/

1 2 M o d er at e

Vi br ati o n ( N o. of 

s e nsiti v e r ec e pt ors) N/ A

R esi d e nti al 

R el oc ati o ns ( N o.)

H az ar d o us 

M at eri als (sit es) N/ A

B usi n ess 

R el oc ati o ns ( N o.)

E n vir o n m e nt al J ustic e 

I m p act e d C e ns us 

Bl oc ks ( N o.)

N/ A

N AT U R A L E N VI R O N M E N T

Str e a ms ( L F) N/ A 2, 4 8 2

W etl a n ds ( Acr es) N/ A 1 7 1. 5 8

Ot h er Wat ers ( Acr es) N/ A 2. 0 1

Fl o o d pl ai ns ( Acr es) N/ A 9 6. 7 4

T hr e at e n e d a n d 

E n d a n g er e d 

S p eci es 

( a ff ect/i m p act)

N/ A

E N GI N E E RI N G

G as Pi p eli n es 

( Cr ossi n gs N o.) N/ A

R ailr o a d Bri d g es O v er 

R o a d w a ys ( N o.) N/ A

R ailr o a d Bri d g es O v er 

Str e a ms ( N o.) N/ A

S A F E T Y A N D M O BI LI T Y

At- Gr a d e Cr ossi n gs 

( N o.) N/ A 2 2

C O S T E S TI M AT E N/ A $ 1 0 8 milli o n 

The Draft Environ mental I mpact State ment 

can be vie wed online at: 

http:/http://sp. mdot. ms.gov/Environ mental/

Pages/Projects.aspx

or at: 

https:// w w w.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0798