Movement continues as the option of adding rail in the Uintah Basin running east into Colorado is explored. Mike McKee, Director of the 7 County Infrastructure Coalition, presented on the topic at the Vernal Chamber luncheon on Tuesday. According to McKee, transportation issues put a cap on the potential for oil and gas development in the Uintah Basin and being limited to trucking oil to the refineries in Salt Lake County keeps the Basin at a major disadvantage. The possibility of running rail east to connect in either Craig or Rifle would open up significantly more opportunities for the oil and gas industry. The 7 County Coalition has begun a feasibility study of the rail proposal that is expected to be complete in August. A meeting is being held this Thursday to gather information from the large oil producers and stakeholders to learn what they think their production might be if they could get to outside markets. If the study shows that rail is a feasible option to run from the Uintah Basin, explained McKee, the next step will be to seek funding. A previous feasibility study explored running rail from the Uintah Basin to connect with the rail in Carbon County. Ultimately it was found to be far too expensive a venture. McKee explained that the Indian Canyon route was originally explored in an effort to keep it in Utah for permitting reasons.
