Environmental Matters > Key Cases: Tongue River

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• Tongue River

The Tongue River Railroad Company, Inc.’s (TRRC’s) rail line project located in Custer, Big Horn, Powder River, and Rosebud Counties, Montana, is the subject of three separate applications, known as Tongue River I, Tongue River II, and Tongue River III. The overall purpose of Tongue River I, Tongue River II, and Tongue River III is to transport coal from mines in the Powder River Basin and Tongue River Valley to markets in the Midwest and northeastern states. TRRC’s original application filed in 1983, sought approval from the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), the Surface Transportation Board’s (Board) predecessor agency, to construct and operate 89 miles of rail line between Miles City, Montana and two termini located near Ashland, Montana. In a decision served May 9, 1986, the ICC approved Tongue River I. TRRC filed another application in 1991 for Tongue River II, seeking approval to extend the line from Ashland to Decker, Montana. The Board approved Tongue River II, authorizing construction of 41 miles of rail line via the Four Mile Creek Alternative, in a decision served in November 1996. In 1998, TRRC filed an application, Tongue River III, with the Board seeking authority to construct and operate a 17.3-mile line of railroad, known as the Western Alignment, which is an alternative routing for the southernmost portion of the 41-mile Ashland-to-Decker rail line.

Tongue River I

Tongue River II