The Green Eagle Railroad, LLC, a subsidiary of Puerto Verde Holdings, is set to transform cross-border trade with a proposed 1.3-mile rail line in Eagle Pass and Maverick County, Texas. Detailed in the Final Environmental Impact Statement released on August 6, 2025, by the Surface Transportation Board and United States Coast Guard, this project, part of the Puerto Verde Global Trade Bridge initiative, aims to streamline freight movement between the United States and Mexico. The plan includes a new rail line connecting the U.S./Mexico border to the Union Pacific Railroad mainline and a Commercial Motor Vehicle Facility to enhance trade efficiency.

The project aligns with the Texas-Mexico Border Transportation Master Plan, focusing on reducing rail and truck congestion in Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras, minimizing cross-border wait times, improving safety by rerouting rail traffic from downtown Eagle Pass, and boosting economic growth through enhanced binational trade infrastructure.

The Environmental Impact Statement evaluates two rail alignment options and a No-Action Alternative. The Southern Rail Alternative, favored by Green Eagle Railroad, features a 1.3-mile double-tracked rail line crossing the Rio Grande River via a new rail bridge with one in-water pier on the Mexican side. It includes four smaller bridges over U.S. 277, Barrera Street, a stormwater channel, and Seco Creek, with noise barriers except at U.S. 277 and Barrera Street bridges. The Northern Rail Alternative takes a slightly more northern route west of U.S. 277, crossing Seco Creek four times, with noise barriers absent at additional locations, including the new rail bridge. The No-Action Alternative maintains current operations, with freight trains running through downtown Eagle Pass, causing noise and delays at seven at-grade crossings. The Surface Transportation Board prefers the Southern Rail Alternative for its lower noise impact, affecting three receptors compared to 12 for the Northern Alternative, and fewer Seco Creek crossings, one versus four, despite greater visual impacts.

The Commercial Motor Vehicle Facility includes a new road bridge across the Rio Grande, north of the rail bridge, a road connecting to Farm-to-Market Road 1589, and border inspection facilities on agricultural land.

The Environmental Impact Statement examines various impacts. Both rail alternatives reduce freight rail incident risks from one every 8 to 16 years to one every 25 to 50 years due to shorter travel distances and lower speeds. They eliminate risks and delays at seven existing at-grade crossings by using grade-separated crossings at U.S. 277 and Barrera Street. The Southern Alternative affects three receptors with severe noise levels, compared to 12 for the Northern Alternative, with mitigation involving noise barriers at U.S. 277 and Barrera Street bridges, and the new rail bridge for the Northern Alternative.

Current operations impact 1,980 receptors, which would be eliminated by rerouting trains. Both alternatives reduce emissions and fuel consumption due to shorter travel distances and less idling, improving air quality and energy efficiency. The Southern Alternative has less impact on Seco Creek, with one crossing compared to four, and compliance with Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits minimizes water quality impacts. The project requires rezoning from residential to industrial, displacing two businesses and one residence, while the Commercial Motor Vehicle Facility converts agricultural land to transportation use. The Southern Alternative significantly impacts two key observation points, with no feasible mitigation due to the rail’s design, while the Northern Alternative impacts one. No National Register-eligible properties are affected, but archaeological surveys and monitoring are recommended. Impacts on endangered species, like the Texas hornshell, are minimal, with mitigation measures in place.

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement was open for public comment from March 14 to June 2, 2025, receiving 104 submissions from 92 commenters. The Surface Transportation Board addressed 50 substantive comments in the Final Environmental Impact Statement, requiring no major changes. Public meetings were held in Eagle Pass and online, offering simultaneous English-Spanish translation.

The Surface Transportation Board will decide on project authorization using the Final Environmental Impact Statement, public comments, and transportation merits. Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement were accepted until May 5, 2025, via the Surface Transportation Board website or by mail to Andrea Poole, Surface Transportation Board, c/o VHB, Attention: Environmental Filing, Docket No. FD 36652, 1001 G Street NW, Suite 1125, Washington, DC 20001.

For more information on the Green Eagle Railroad project, visit www.greeneaglerreis.com or contact the Surface Transportation Board to stay updated on this transformative Eagle Pass rail initiative.

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