MAT-SU—The Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Alaska Railroad invite the public to an open house tonight, April 24, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Houston Middle School gym to learn about the latest developments in the construction of the 32-mile rail extension from the mainline near Houston to Port MacKenzie. Project team members will present updates and discuss developments on each of the six segments of construction. Three segments are under construction now. Construction on a fourth segment will begin in late summer.

MAT-SU—Work has begun on $88 million in construction projects for three segments of the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension. Contracts were recently awarded to three construction companies. Up to 200 jobs in the construction industry could be created this summer.

MAT-SU—For a second time, the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals has denied a request to stop construction on the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension. Yesterday the order was issued in San Francisco, denying an emergency appeal by Cook Inlet Keeper, Sierra Club, and Alaska Survival.

MAT-SU—A second federal court has struck down an effort to block construction on the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension. Today U.S. District Court Judge Ralph Beistline denied a request for a preliminary injunction by Cook Inlet Keeper, and wrote that halting construction “does not appear to be in the best interest of the public.”

MAT-SU—The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco issued its full opinion Jan. 23, on a challenge to the Port MacKenzie Rail project. The 32-page opinion describes the project's environmental document as a "detailed, thorough, and thoughtful discussion on the wetlands impacts and mitigation measures." The rail extension will be a 32-mile link from the Alaska mainline to the deepwater dock at Port MacKenzie. Up to four segments of the project are anticipated to be under construction this summer, creating some 200 jobs.

MAT-SU—The U.S. 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted a stay on construction for the Port MacKenzie Rail project today, and indicated that the environmental groups’ court challenge to the project will not prevail.

The three-judge panel of the 9^th Circuit made its ruling in just three weeks, an extraordinarily short timeframe for a ruling by a federal appeals court.

ANCHORAGE—Matanuska-Susitna Borough Manager John Moosey gave the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce a presentation on the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension today, highlighting the project as a job producer for Alaska.

MAT-SU—The Matanuska-Susitna Borough Assembly and the Alaska Railroad Corp. are working together to oppose a court challenge to the Surface Transportation Board’s approval of construction for the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension.

MAT-SU—The federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) issued its decision to allow construction and operation of the Port MacKenzie Railroad Extension. The decision is an important step in clearing the way for construction to begin on a 32-mile link from the mainline of the Alaska Railroad near Houston to Port MacKenzie.

PORT MACKENZIE—Construction work advances at Port MacKenzie on a 1.5 mile bimodal loop, one of the longest rail and road loops in Alaska for 100-car trains and semis carrying bulk materials.

MAT-SU—With the news today of Alaska Governor Sean Parnell’s final state budget, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough thanks Gov. Parnell for continuing to invest in our state’s transportation infrastructure. He chose to direct $30 million in state appropriations to the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, along with appropriations for other worthy Borough projects.

MAT-SU—Officials with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Alaska Railroad told reporters in a press conference in Palmer today that the release of the final environmental study means the Port MacKenzie Rail project moves a step closer to construction.

MAT-SU BOROUGH, Alaska – The Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) of the Surface Transportation Board (STB) released the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) today for the Port MacKenzie Rail Extension, recommending Mac East Variant (Mac Central) and Houston South as the rail route for STB approval.