Forest Service pulls Uinta Basin Railway’s special use permit, halting approval of project trying to ship waxy crude oil along Colorado River
The U.S. Forest Service withdrew its record of decision and amendment that would have allowed the Utah Seven County Infrastructure Coalition to build and operate a railway on 12 miles of National Forest System lands on Jan. 17. The activity required a project-specific Forest Plan amendment to reflect the railway’s visual impact on the landscape in order to move forward. The Uinta Basin Railway project has faced significant backlash from Colorado communities and organizations, including Grand County’s chapter of Trout Unlimited. The withdrawal of the permit is a victory for opponents of the railway who say the approval process “did not properly account for the project’s full risks.”