Letter to Hon. Amit Bose, Administrator Federal Railroad Administration - Rep. Lauren Boebert Supports San Luis Central Railroad's Infrastructure Grant Application

Letter

Dear Mr. Bose:
I write in strong support of the San Luis Central Railroad Company's Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) competitive grant application. As you know, CRISI funding requires a 25% private match and provides discretionary, competitive grants for important projects based on merit that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of freight rail.
Should the railroad be awarded this competitive grant, the company plans to complete an important project that will improve short line railroad infrastructure in the San Luis Valley. Specifically, the project will replace 5.1 miles of deteriorated cross and switch ties between Ansel and Center stations in Rio Grande and Saguache Counties in order to improve safety and reduce the risk of derailment, decrease maintenance costs, and increase overall service reliability.
This San Luis Central Railroad Company has strong project readiness and possesses the legal, financial, and technical capacity to carry out this project on time and on budget. Importantly, the project also has local support and nearly $375,000 will come from private sector matching funds.
The completion of this project will enable the railroad to better serve the agriculture-based economy and retain its present workforce throughout the San Luis Valley. In 2017 alone, the railroad transported more than 75 million pounds of fresh and dried potatoes and more than 82 million pounds of grain.
Class III railroads are vital to rural America and the regions they serve. This project is essential for the future economic viability of the San Luis Valley and this grant application has my strong support. I respectfully urge your full and fair consideration.

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