MS seeks to extend rail to ports to promote wood pellet production
Associated Press
PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) – The Rail Authority of East Mississippi has $1 million in a congressional appropriation for the proposed rail link from Waynesboro to Lucedale, but there is a problem, according to the authority’s executive director.
“This would be 1 of those nasty old ‘earmarks’ that everybody talks about that really aren’t as bad as people think they are,” said Geoffrey Clark.
The money through the Federal Highway Administration was requested by Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, he said.
Chris Gallegos, a spokesman for Cochran, said in an e-mail, “Sen. Cochran is interested in working with state and local officials to try to determine whether the project can qualify for other federal discretionary funding in the future.”
Clark said the project to lay about 50 miles of new track that will link east Mississippi to the ports in Pascagoula and Mobile will continue…
