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June 2015

ALL ABOARD FLORIDA UNDERESTIMATES BOAT TRAFFIC IN FEDERAL DRAFT STUDY

Martin County officials on Monday took aim at a draft federal study evaluating the impacts of the All Aboard Florida rail project, saying that the study grossly underestimated the number of boats that travel passed the St. Lucie River railroad bridge each day.

A ROLLING OIL SPILL, A RAIL DISASTER: THE CALAMITY THAT WOULD BE ALL ABOARD FLORIDA

Matthew Cianfrani, Jensen Beach

Letter: A rolling oil spill, a rail disaster: the calamity that would be All Aboard Florida

I am a new resident of Martin County who chose this location for the quality of life and the forward thinking of those who pushed Interstate 95 way west.

The All Aboard Florida debate typifies a disturbing trend in this country, the institutionalization of greed and the circumvention of the voting citizens.

AAF GETS 6 MONTH EXTENSION TO SELL TAX-EXEMPT BONDS

All Aboard Florida on Friday received a six-month extension to sell $1.75 billion in tax-exempt bonds to help pay for its express-passenger rail project between Miami and Orlando.

Officials with the U.S. Department of Transportation gave the Coral Gables-based company until Jan. 1 to sell the private activity bonds. The bonds have been at the center of federal lawsuits filed by Martin and Indian River counties challenging the rail project.

CONNECTING FLORIDA GIVES BACKING TO AAF, BUT THE ORGANIZATION IS A GHOST

A group that describes itself as citizens who support All Aboard Florida is little more than a ghost.

Connecting Florida, which uses a Stuart address and claims to be a nonprofit organization, has sent out emails and fliers in the past year and created a website and Facebook page, extolling the economic benefits of the passenger railroad that All Aboard Florida plans to build between Orlando and Miami.

But finding this group, its offices or any employees and volunteers is nearly impossible. It seems to exist only in cyberspace and leaflets.

MILLIONS OF GALLONS OF LNG WILL BE RIDING THE RAILS - NO PERMIT REQUIRED

Liquid natural gas is poised to be either a best friend to Martin County residents, or its worst enemy. 

The Fortress Investment Group-related liquified natural gas plant in Medley is nearing completion without any apparent federal regulatory oversight. The LNG will be used to fuel FEC trains. The U.S. Department of Energy also authorized sale of the LNG it produces to both Federal Trade Agreement and non-FTA countries. 

THE JUNE TRAIN WRECK TIMES by Susan Mehiel

We have just begun to fight!

All is not lost… I hate to start this edition with that thought but a number of readers have contacted us with the misconception that our setback on the preliminary injunction was the end of the line. It wasn’t! The lawsuits by the counties challenging the bond approval by the US DOT still stand and there are many options to stop the train still on the table.

US PORTS PREPARE FOR INCREASE IN FREIGHT FROM PANAMA CANAL

Giant backhoes claw into the ground, as helmeted workers position rebar atop of concrete pillars 100 feet tall. Cranes, trucks and teams of workers toil through a construction site here large enough to fit three Empire State Buildings, laying end to end.

More than 2,000 miles north, workers at the Port of New York and New Jersey are busy with their own colossal project: raising a bridge 64 feet, dredging the muck and mud of a harbor to deepen its waters and laying down new railroad lines.

ALL ABOARD FLORIDA TALKS OF EXPANDING DOWNTOWN MIAMI PROJECT

The Coral Gables company behind the All Aboard Florida rail project has pitched a complicated road realignment and small land swap that would allow for an expansion of a major transportation hub planned in downtown, according to Miami’s city manager.

The proposal, floated last week over lunch, would substantially increase the size of a block Florida East Coast Industries owns on Northwest First Street, on the southern edge of its MiamiCentral station. Right now, the company plans to build rail platforms, hotel rooms, office suites and rental apartments.

LETTER TO CITIZENS FROM MARTIN COUNTY

June 17, 2015
 
Dear Martin County citizen:
 
As a subscriber to Martin County's general information email list, we thought you would be interested in receiving periodic updates on Martin County's activities related to the All Aboard Florida project. If you do not wish to receive these periodic updates, simply reply back and we will promptly remove you from these communications.
 
Martin County's initial lawsuit remains in place.
 

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA MEMORANDUM DECISION

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, et al., Plaintiffs, v. PETER M. ROGOFF, et al., Defendants. Case No. 1:15-cv-00460 (CRC)

MARTIN COUNTY, FLORIDA, et al., Plaintiffs, v. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, et al.,

Defendants. Case No. 1:15-cv-00632 (CRC)

AMERICAN LNG GETS SECOND FTA AUTHORIZATION TO EXPORT FROM FLORIDA

American LNG Marketing LLC was granted its second free trade agreement (FTA) authorization to export containerized liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Florida.

The latest authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is to export up to 30.2 Bcf/year of LNG sourced from a liquefaction facility proposed for Titusville, FL, and to be constructed by American LNG affiliate TICO Development Partners LLC.

ARE WE PREPARED FOR HAZARDOUS RAIL SPILL?

TCPALM 

Here’s something to ponder the next time a freight train carrying flammable liquids rumbles through your community:

Emergency responders on the Treasure Coast don’t know what chemicals are being transported on the Florida East Coast rail line.

“We don’t know what the (rail system) is transporting at any time. ... Until an incident occurs we don’t know (what chemical) we’re involved with. And the scenario can be very different when we have a single car or multiple cars.”

BE SURE TO ADD AAF'S "RIDERSHIP AND REVENUE" STUDY TO FICTION READING LIST

TCPALM

If you’re looking for a work of fiction to invigorate the summer doldrums, I highly recommend the “All Aboard Florida Ridership and Revenue Study,” released last week by the rail company as part of its legal fight with Indian River and Martin counties.

The 154-page document, which purports to be “an investment grade ridership and revenue forecast for the re-introduction of passenger rail service,” is all that and much more.

ALL ABOARD FLORIDA BOND MEETING POSTPONED... AGAIN!

The Florida Development Finance Corp. has postponed its June 10 meeting where it was to discuss All Aboard Florida’s request for $1.75 billion in tax exempt bonds.

Sean Helton, a spokesman for the FDFC, said travel logistics “created uncertainty for convening a quorum.”

A new date had not been set as of Friday morning. This is the second postponement for the meeting, which originally was to occur May 28.

ALL ABOARD FLORIDA UNVEILS PLANS FOR TOWER BESIDE DOWNTOWN STATION

All Aboard Florida’s conceptual plan for a rail-side apartment tower would rise 23 floors above Evernia Street, with 275 rentals in a moderate price range.

The project’s broad outlines, revealed in an open house for local residents Tuesday, represent a first step in the development process that remains open to public suggestions and several months away from the required government approvals.

OUR UNWILLINGNESS TO FIX INFRASTRUCTURE WILL COST US DEARLY

The other day I took the Northeast regional Amtrak train from D.C. to New York City, got out and took the next train back.

I spent $146 to see just how bumpy the tracks on the publicly funded rail system are (very). And I wanted to think about the eight people who died and the more than 200 who were hospitalized after Train 188 derailed on May 12. It was a routine many followed regularly, most of them for their jobs, some for vacations or to visit family. They never thought they would be in danger.

AAF FIGHT PLAYS OUT IN FEDERAL COURT

The fight against All Aboard Florida played out in an austere Washington D.C. courthouse today, in a hearing to decide whether the passenger rail project will get $1.75 billion in tax exempt bonds.

The more than three-hour hearing outlasted early predictions of time my more than double with U.S. District Court Judge Christopher Cooper picking at each side’s arguments and questioning whether Indian River and Martin counties were hitting the “goal posts” in their attempt to block the financing.

ALL ABOARD FLORIDA WANTS EXTENSION FOR THE SALE OF $1.75 BILLION IN TAX-EXEMPT BONDS

TCPALM

WASHINGTON, D.C. — All Aboard Florida will seek an extension from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the sale of $1.75 billion in tax-exempt bonds to finance its project, the company said in federal court here Friday morning.

But before All Aboard Florida moves forward, it must clear another hurdle: The Federal Railroad Administration must issue its final environmental impact statement, which lays out potential problems created by the project and how those problems would be mitigated. The federal agency has not said when it would release the document.

ALL ABOARD FLORIDA TRIPS BETWEEN MIAMI AND ORLANDO WILL COST ABOUT $143

MIAMI NEW TIMES

So you've heard about All Aboard Florida, the private railroad line that will connect Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach to Orlando set to be completed in 2017. Perhaps you've imagined one day ditching your car in favor of a ticket on the train for your next trip to Disney World, but you've been wondering just how much that would cost. Well, according to a new study, tickets will be about  $143 for a one-way, business-class journey between the Miami and Orlando stations. Tickets from Miami to Fort Lauderdale will be around $11. 

TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS TRYING TO CONVERT TREASURE COAST RAILS TO TRAILS

TCPALM

Weeds and plants obscure the small brown “Trans-Florida Central Railroad” sign on 102nd Terrace from view, so nature-lovers and hiking enthusiasts might not see it. Nor might they realize the historical significance of the quiet, tree-covered trail just steps away from screams of playing children at the North County Aquatic Center and adjacent ball field.

MARTIN COUNTY ARGUES LAST-MINUTE AAF COURT FILING UNJUST IN OWN PAPERS FILED THURSDAY

Lisa Broadt - TCPalm

All Aboard Florida’s last-minute attempt to enter a much-anticipated ridership survey into court documents should be rejected, according to papers filed by Martin County late Thursday.

“AAF has offered no explanation why it could not introduce the ‘May 7, 2015’ All Aboard Florida Ridership and Revenue Study prior to today, one day before the hearing,” Martin County’s attorneys wrote in response.

ALL ABOARD FLORIDA WANTS AN EXTENSION FOR THE SALE OF $1.75 BILLION IN TAX-EXEMPT BONDS

Lisa Broadt - TCPalm

All Aboard Florida will seek an extension from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the sale of $1.75 billion in tax-exempt bonds to finance its project, the company said in federal court here Friday morning.

But before All Aboard Florida moves forward, it must clear another hurdle: The Federal Railroad Administration must issue its final environmental impact statement, which lays out potential problems created by the project and how those problems would be mitigated. The federal agency has not said when it would release the document.