BUCKS COUNTY – September 22, 2026 − State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) and State Representative Jim Prokopiak (D-140) are calling on the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB), which has the authority to reject or approve railway mergers, to pause consideration of the merits of Union Pacific’s proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern until a full environmental impact study is completed and questions about rail safety, infrastructure and federal oversight are answered. They are requesting that the result of the environmental impact study be promptly shared with the public.
Senator Santarsiero and Rep. Prokopiak submitted public comments to the Surface Transportation Board on September 21st outlining concerns about the projected increase in freight and truck traffic in Bucks County, particularly along the Morrisville Line and at the Morrisville rail facilities. Based on the map provided by the Surface Transportation Board, the rail segment of the Morrisville Line that runs through Falls Township exceeds the board’s threshold that requires air quality analysis. The legislators are concerned that this merger may impact other municipalities in the district that also have Norfolk Southern lines that do not exceed the board’s threshold as well.
According to projections submitted by the companies, by the fifth year following the transaction:
- Freight volume on the Morrisville Line would increase by 51.1%, from 221.85 million to 335.10 million gross ton-miles.
- Truck traffic associated with the Morrisville Intermodal Terminal on Cabot Boulevard would increase by 105 trucks per day, from approximately 322 to 427.
- Annual hazardous-material carloads on the Morrisville Line would increase more than 150% from 3,106 to 7,838.
“These projections raise serious questions about what this merger could mean for the safety and quality of life of Bucks County communities,” said Senator Santarsiero. “If we are going to see substantially more freight, hazardous materials and truck traffic moving through our communities, we need to understand the impacts and make sure necessary safeguards are in place if this merger moves forward.”
“Any consideration of the proposed merger of Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific should only occur after a comprehensive review of the impact to the Lower Bucks community,” said Representative Prokopiak. “The Surface Transportation Board must ensure that the proposed merger would not negatively impact residents or businesses.”
Senator Santarsiero and Rep. Prokopiak are asking the Surface Transportation Board to examine what hazardous materials would be transported through Falls Township, the potential consequences of a derailment or other release of hazardous materials into the environment, and whether local emergency responders have the training, equipment and information necessary to respond to an incident.
They are also asking the board to examine the effects of the projected increase in truck traffic on local roads, including congestion, noise, emissions and roadway safety. Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern project that the number of trains on the Morrisville Line would remain approximately the same even as freight volume increases by more than 50%, raising questions about whether trains would become longer or heavier and what that could mean for rail safety and wait times at crossings.
The concerns extend beyond Bucks County. The companies’ projections identify numerous Pennsylvania rail segments and facilities that would exceed the STB’s environmental-review thresholds. At the same time, the companies have proposed transaction-related capital improvements in 17 states, but none in Pennsylvania.
“We need to know whether Pennsylvania’s existing rail infrastructure, terminals and surrounding roads can safely handle these projected increases, and whether additional costs will ultimately fall on state and local taxpayers,” said Senator Santarsiero. “If improvements or additional emergency-response resources are needed, those needs should be identified and addressed as part of the merger review.”
They also raised concerns about federal rail-safety oversight. The Federal Railroad Administration’s FY 2027 budget justification projects staffing of 833 full-time-equivalent employees, down from 947 in FY 2025. While those figures do not indicate how many inspectors would oversee the Morrisville corridor specifically, Santarsiero said the projected increase in freight and hazardous-material traffic warrants a clear plan for federal oversight and federal staffing cuts under the Trump Administration lead to serious concern that these trains will be appropriately inspected.
“Before the consideration of this merger moves forward, we need a clear answer about who will be responsible for overseeing this increased activity, whether there will be enough inspectors and resources, and how hazardous-material traffic will be monitored,” said Senator Santarsiero. “Bucks County residents should not be expected to absorb substantially more freight and hazardous-material traffic without knowing that our infrastructure, emergency response and federal regulators are prepared to handle it safely.”
Pennsylvania does not have the authority to approve or reject the proposed merger. That decision rests with the STB. Santarsiero is asking the Board to place consideration of the merger’s merits on hold while their Office of Environmental Analysis completes a full Environmental Impact Statement, and federal safety agencies develop a clear oversight plan.
Senator Santarsiero and Rep. Prokopiak are also asking the Board to identify necessary infrastructure improvements, emergency-response support and other mitigation measures and make any required protections enforceable conditions in the case of an approval.
TIMELINE TO DATE
- July 30, 2025 – The applicants (Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern) notified the Surface Transportation Board that they intended to seek approval for the merger.
- December 19, 2025 – The applicants filed their original application.
- January 16, 2026 – The Board rejected the application as incomplete.
- April 30, 2026 – The applicants filed a revised application.
- May 28, 2026 – The Board accepted the revised application for consideration, required additional information, determined that an Environmental Impact Statement would be prepared and held the proceedings in abeyance.
- July 27, 2026 – The applicants filed supplemental information and revised traffic projections.
- August 18, 2026 – The Board lifted the abeyance and set the current schedule.
- August 19, 2026 – The Office of Environmental Analysis sent preliminary consultation letters to agencies, Tribes and elected officials, including our offices.
- September 18, 2026 – Senator Santarsiero and Rep. Prokopiak submitted preliminary comments to the Board.
- September 21, 2026 – Preliminary environmental comments were due.
NEXT STEPS
- September 30, 2026 – Notice of Intent to Participate is due. The Board extended this deadline from September 4.
- Date not set – OEA will publish its Environmental Notice of Intent and open the scoping process. Public meetings and another comment period will follow.
- November 18, 2026 – Comments, protests, requests for conditions and evidence opposing or qualifying the merger application are due.
- December 3, 2026 – Preliminary comments from the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Transportation are due.
- February 16, 2027 – The applicants’ responses and rebuttal are due.
- March 29, 2027 – Rebuttals concerning responsive applications are due. This date mainly applies to competing or alternative transaction proposals.
- Date not set – The Board will hold a public hearing and issue separate participation instructions.
- May 28, 2027 – Final briefs are due.
- Date not set – The Board will close the record after the hearing and any additional submissions it requires. The Board states that it will aim to decide the case within 90 days after the record closes, but only if the environmental review is complete.
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