DeGette Statement on Supreme Court Ruling Paving Way for Uinta Basin Railway

DENVER, CO — Today, Congresswoman Diana DeGette (CO-01) released the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled that construction of the Uinta Basin Railway can begin.

“This decision lays the groundwork for an environmental catastrophe,” said DeGette. “As the harsh impacts of the climate crisis increase the vulnerability of the Colorado River, the risk of an oil spill along this train route is unacceptable. Increasing fracking levels and transporting them across the country would not only harm the communities through which the train travels, including those in Denver, but it would further devastate the communities surrounding the facilities where this oil would burn. This is a public health nightmare waiting to happen, and I am deeply concerned about how this decision will hamper environmental justice and allow big oil and gas to exploit our public lands.” 

On Thursday, May 29, the Supreme Court ruled that the Surface Transportation Board properly analyzed the impact of the Uinta Basin Railway, clearing the way for an 88-mile stretch of railroad to proceed. 

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