Though not involved in the project, the Utah Petroleum Association issued a press release on the Supreme Court ruling in the Uinta Basin Railway case. UPA President Rikki Hrenko-Browning emphasized that every project, whether a pipeline or a wind farm, “deserves a permitting process with clear timelines and scope, instead of unlimited and unreasonable analysis of indirect impacts and endless litigation.” While the Supreme Court ruling is considered a win, Hrenko-Browning did state that the way forward for the project is more complicated than it might seem. She referred to an RBN Energy blog post published on June 3rd that outlines some of the work ahead for the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition and DHIP Group: “Specifically, they said the [Surface Transportation Board] needs to reissue its construction-and-operation approval for the project and complete the Endangered Species Act process; the Bureau of Indian Affairs and U.S. Forest Service need to issue and/or reinstate right-of-way permits for the railroad; and commitments from prospective shippers and financing from private-sector investors need to be secured and finalized.” Hrenko-Browning concluded her comments by congratulating the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition and recognizing that increased takeaway capacity is crucial to the petroleum industry’s ability to grow and rail infrastructure is regionally beneficial and a matter of national security.
