BARSTOW, Calif. — The federal government is seeking comment on a proposed sale of land to BNSF Railway as part of the railroad’s planned Barstow International Gateway project.
The Victorville Daily Press reports the Bureau of Land Management published a Notice of Realty Action in the Federal Register on Wednesday, Aug. 28, on the proposed sale of four parcels of public land totaling 30 acres, beginning a comment period that runs through Oct. 15. The land is approximately a half-mile west of Barstow.
The land is considered suitable for private sale because it is surrounded by other private land, all owned by BNSF, and has no provision for public access. As such, it would have no impact to public land use or recreation. The land would be sold to BNSF at fair market value.
Details of the proposed sale are available for review here, at the Bureau’s National NEPA Register. That page also includes information on how to comment.
The planned $1.5 billion, 4,500-acre Barstow International Gateway would include an intermodal facility and warehouses for transloading between domestic and international containers. It would process cargo going to and from the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach [see “BNSF to build $1.5 billion facility in Barstow …,” Trains News Wire, Oct. 1, 2022].
