The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously on March 14 to request environmental review for Mendocino Railway’s proposal to repair tracks and a tunnel between Willits and Fort Bragg. In January, Mendocino Railway and its parent company, Sierra Northern Railway, got a $31.4 million Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan from the Department of Transportation, “to expand and rehabilitate rail infrastructure in the Central Valley and Mendocino County.” DoT expects this will “reduce congestion and air pollution on local roads and highways;” and “greatly enhance existing freight service.” In a document called a categorical exemption worksheet filed with the Federal Railroad Administration, Mendocino Railway declares that, “the railroad’s freight and passenger offerings have historically been the economic engine for the region;” and that repairing the tunnel will “help sustain and flourish economic growth.” The worksheet adds that, “Logs, aggregates, and municipal solid waste are expected to move over the MR’s rail line. Companies such as North Coast Brewing and FloBeds have expressed an interest to MR in using the line for common carrier freight service.”