New State Senator Mike Goggin (R-Red Wing) honored his biggest campaign promise on Monday when he introduced Senate File 254, which would prevent construction of a controversial high-speed rail line from the Rochester to the Twin Cities. The bill is his first in the Senate.

“I heard concerns about Zip Rail so frequently on the campaign trail that it compelled me to make a promise: if voters put their trust in me, my first bill would be to prevent Zip Rail for good,” said Sen. Goggin. “I worked closely with Rep. Steve Drazkowski (R-Mazeppa) and Rep. Barb Haley (R-Red Wing) because it is important that this be made a top priority for both the House and the Senate. Having all three legislators from our district strongly supporting this bill shows we are serious about stopping any public funding from going to Zip Rail.”

Sen. Goggin’s Zip Rail prevention bill comprises four elements:

• It prohibits public funding from being used for any Zip Rail related activities, including feasibility studies, planning, designing, engineering, acquiring property, or construction.

• It requires the state to secure any state property that it makes available for Zip Rail, so that the state may recover costs incurred related to the project if it is not completed.

• It prohibits eminent domain from being used to acquire land for Zip Rail.

• It requires any private funder of Zip rail to purchase environmental insurance.

Senate File 254 has been referred to the Transportation Finance Committee where it awaits a hearing.