Mainline Project

This project will rebuild 219.0 miles in Minnesota and 317.0 miles in South Dakota. To prepare for hauling coal, DM&E also has plans to build more than 30 sidings along the existing main line and rail yards (for staging and marshalling of coal trains) west of Lewiston, west of Waseca and west of Mankato in Minnesota and west of Huron and north of Wall in South Dakota. The environmental impact of the rail yards is listed separately below.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) reported the following statistics and comments (in quotes) in its January 2007 Impacts Summary:

Impacted area: Disturbance to 5,309.1 acres in Minnesota and 7,684.8 acres in South Dakota

Surface water: Cross 19 perennial streams (including 5 trout streams), 14 rivers, 3 lakes and 15 irrigation ditches in Minnesota. Cross 7 rivers, 230 intermittent streams, and 16 perennial streams in South Dakota.

“Increase TSS [total suspended solids] and sedimentation. Potential channelization or
relocation of drainages.”

Wetlands: Loss of 187.8 acres of wetlands in Minnesota. Loss of approximately 132.9 acres of Wetlands in South Dakota.

“Damage to vegetation, mixing and compaction of wetland soils, alteration of site hydrology, increased sedimentation, and installation of drainage structures could result in loss or damage of adjacent wetlands.”

Vegetation: Loss of 716.3 acres of native prairie and wetlands in Minnesota and  132.9 acres of wetlands in South Dakota.

Wildlife: Displacement, disturbance from noise and human activity, and loss
of habitat during construction. Increased disturbance from operation of the line and increased mortality from collisions with trains.

Waterfowl and Shorebirds: “Habitat loss, nest loss, and disturbance from noise and human activity. Nesting failure.”

Sensitive, Threatened and Endangered Species
FRA specifically noted impacts on the following:

• Topeka Shiner
• Higgin’s Eye Pearly Mussel
• Prairie Bush-Clover
• Western Prairie Fringed Orchid
• Piping Plover
• American Burying Beetle
• Interior Least Tern
• Pallid Sturgeon

Rail Yards

Impacted area: 381.1 acres in Minnesota and 606.1 acres in South Dakota converted to rail yards.

Surface water: Crosses the Cottonwood River and 3 intermittent streams in Minnesota.
Crosses 7 intermittent streams in South Dakota.

Wetlands: Loss of 14.2 acres in Minnesota and 65.7 acres in South Dakota.

Vegetation: Loss of 369.5 acres of cropland, woody vegetation, and wetlands in Minnesota. Loss of 601.5 acres of cropland and wetlands in South Dakota.