High-speed rail plans to "borrow" eminent domain authority from Amtrak

On Friday, Texas Central Partners announced they would once again seek federal intervention in an ongoing eminent domain dispute that threatens to halt construction of a private high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas. In 2016, the Surface Transportation Board dealt a major setback to the controversial high-speed rail line by declining to assert federal authority over the proposal and by refusing to grant federal eminent domain authority to Texas Central Partners. In a Friday statement announcing a new partnership with the cash-strapped federal Amtrak system, Texas Central revealed that they intend to use their new association with Amtrak to appeal the decision of the Surface Transportation Board – a move that, if successful, could result in Texas Central being given the authority to force Texas landowners from their property. –The Corsicana Daily Sun Read more…