Schumer Announces, Following His Push, Army Corps of Engineers Has Issued American Rock Salt Permit It Needs to Build Critical Rail Extension

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has approved a permit and established and approved protocols that will now allow a Livingston County-based company, American Rock Salt (ARS), to build a railroad extension that will bring jobs to the area. Schumer explained that ARS, the nation's largest salt producing mine and an important employer in the region, had proposed a project to extend its rail spur line 1,500 feet. However, a permit from the Army Corps was needed before construction can begin, due to the possibility that historic Native American remains and artifacts might be found at the site. In September, Schumer called on the USACE to swiftly grant this permit needed to break ground on the rail line extension and approve protocols that would allow construction to begin. Now that the permit has been approved, this extension will allow ARS to mine more rock salt each day and load the salt into 100 rail train cars, as opposed to its current 70 cars per day capacity, boosting output by rail over 40 percent. Schumer said construction could begin as soon as next week.

As part of this agreement, the USACE has approved protocols, in consultation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and New York State Office of Parks Recreation and Historic Preservation for any possible artifacts and remains that could be unearthed during construction in order to preserve the potential artifacts uncovered, the protocols will require a professional archaeologist as well as monitors from the Seneca Nations to be on site during construction. Schumer explained that this agreement sets forth specific steps and notification requirements to ensure the proper care of any uncovered artifacts is carried out effectively and in consideration of all consulting parties as well as increase salt production. Schumer said this is particularly important with harsh winter weather just around the corner. Schumer noted this is a major step to stimulate the economy and will create 30 new jobs for the local work force and sustain 150 current local residents' jobs.

"On the heels of last winter's long Polar Vortex, I urged the Army Corps to swiftly approve the permit needed to allow American Rock Salt to break ground on this rail line extension, which has the potential to boost output of de-icing rock salt at their mine and create good-paying local jobs," said Schumer. "That is why I am pleased to announce that it's "All Aboard' for Livingston County and American Rock Salt just in time for the winter season. Now that this permit has been approved and issued, this project can begin, workers can do their thing, and the salt can begin to flow and fully supply towns and cities across New York and the northeast this winter."

Last month, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) approved ARS's required New York State permit and, thus, construction could begin as soon as the USACE approved its federal permit. As with the NYSDEC permit, the USACE permit was required to meet federal requirements in accordance with the federal Nationwide Permit program that any historical artifacts or remains potentially unearthed during construction are cared for appropriately. Specifically, in order to issue the permit, the USACE had to establish a protocol to direct how to appropriately handle any artifacts that could be found during construction. Schumer urged the USACE to swiftly establish and approve such protocols and issue the permit that would allow ARS to begin this expansion.

Schumer explained that this past year's "Polar Vortex" winter spotlighted just how vital it is to maximize and increase the ARS mine's rock salt output capacity. Specifically, during the bitter protracted weeks of cold weather, many municipalities across New York State depleted their rock salt reserves and looked to ARS to help resupply. But without the ability to ship more salt by rail, ARS was forced to ship rock salt by trucks, which are less efficient, create more pollution and congestion, and are often delayed by bad weather. Schumer said that this desperate need for rock salt underscores the importance of providing ARS with the means of increasing its supply to meet the demand. ARS will now be able to invest in this Livingston County railroad upgrade ahead of this year's winter season, which will allow ARS to immediately begin stockpiling more salt at their mine's fifteen remote stockpiles across the northeast.

In addition to the increased supply of rock salt this production expansion will now bring, it will create 30 new jobs at the mine in the Mt. Morris area. Schumer said that these are good-paying jobs that local residents will greatly benefit from. In addition to providing these new jobs, the extension will also help sustain 150 current local jobs. With colder winter weather just around the corner, it was important for local crews to be able to begin working on this rail extension before it is too late into the season to be completed. In September, Schumer explained that, if the proper permits cannot be approved and issued immediately, the company would be forced to abandon this vital expansion that could boost local jobs and better safeguard the driving public with de-icing rock salt this winter.

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