Florida's Canaveral Port Authority (CPA) has petitioned the Surface Transportation Board for permission to "construct and operate approximately 11 miles of new rail line to Port Canaveral (Port) in Brevard County, Florida."
STB Docket No. FD 35852, issued, on Oct. 27, 2014, determined that "an environmental impact statement is appropriate in this proceeding."
The proposed Port Canaveral Rail Extension (PCRE) "would also utilize approximately 17 miles of existing rail line at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) John F. Kennedy Space Center," also offering connections with Florida East Coast Railway (FEC). The result would provide Port Canaveral "with direct access to freight rail service."
Public scoping meetings are scheduled for Nov. 18 in Titusville, Fla., and Nov. 19 in Cape Canaveral. All scoping comments are due by Dec. 19, STB said.
STB noted, “According to the CPA, the principal purpose of the proposed rail extension is to provide it with the capacility to transport primarily bulk, break bulk (ie., packaged, non-containerized cargo), and constainerized goods to and from Port Canaveral by rail.”