Pennsylvania locals dispute ‘New York/New Jersey trash trains’

(The Center Square) – A proposed rail line to move trash through rural Elk and Jefferson counties in northwestern Pennsylvania continues drawing opposition from local officials and residents, as questions over the project’s scope, transparency, and the legal status of a long-dormant rail corridor remain unresolved.

Supporters say the project could reduce long-haul truck traffic by shifting waste transport to rail, and communities in the district will benefit from increased revenue. Opponents argue the proposal has changed significantly since it was first presented and could bring new burdens to communities that have treated the rail corridor as abandoned. They also point out that much of the trash would come from New York and New Jersey – benefitting states that limit reliance on their own landfills while exporting waste elsewhere.

As originally proposed, the project would add 3.87 miles of new track along an abandoned rail bed, beginning at the end of an active Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroa...