The Community Impact Board met Thursday with the a request to fund the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Uintah Basin Rail Project. A motion to approve the full amount of approximately $28 million dollars failed when it faced a split vote and the chairman broke the tie and voted against the motion. The state treasurer David Damschen and a representative from the state attorney general’s office were vocal in the discussion, opposing the project. Industry, government, business, and community leaders from the Uintah Basin attended the meeting to share their support for the project and present a petition signed by thousands of Uintah Basin residents. Bringing rail to northeastern Utah is believed to be a potential solution to the transportation issues that limit the economy and energy industry. Later a motion was made to fund a partial amount of $6.5 million dollars to get the EIS started and it was approved.
