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             California Public Utilities Commission
505 Van Ness Avenue, Room 5301            San Francisco, CA 94102
CONTACT: Dianne Dienstein               June 19, 1996   CPUC - 52
         415-703-2423                              (C. 88-03-016)

         CPUC APPROVES NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIN EXPANSION

    The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) today
approved expanded operation for the Napa Valley Wine Train and
adopted an environmental mitigation and monitoring plan to
resolve controversy between the Wine Train and communities along
its route which has been ongoing since 1988.
    Since September 1989, the Wine Train has operated limited
service between Napa and St. Helena.  In July 1993, the
Commission certified the Final Ennvironmental Impact Report
(FEIR) required by the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA).
    The mitigation and monitoring plan requiring the Wine Train
to operate under a specific set of conditions is geared to
minimize potential environmental impacts of expanded operation.
No trains is the baseline which will be used to determine the
extent to which mitigation is necessary.  The Wine Train will pay
for mitigation of environmental impacts including increasing the
length of turning lanes at SR29/Trower Avenue and Soscol
Avenue/Third Street.
    The Commission determined that based on the FEIR, there will
be no significant impacts identifiable if the Wine Train operates
five trains/day and authorized it to begin doing so immediately.
As monitoring is conducted to verify that impact levels are not
exceeded, the Wine Train may eventually expand to six trains
daily.
    It may also make up-valley stops as it meets requirements of
local ordinances.  Wine Train stops must be coordinated with and
made pursuant to county or other local rules and regulations.
                            - more -
Local agencies may apply reasonable local ordinances to the Wine
Train such as building code restrictions, but may not deny the
Wine Train the right to operate or make stops.  The Wine Train
will not operate in the southern part of the Napa Valley on
Friday evenings.  The Wine Train may also contract with shuttle
buses for prearranged trips coordinated with train schedules to
nearby wineries and other attractions along fixed routes.
However, at this time, it is uncertain whether it will do so.
    The Commission has overall responsibility for ensuring the
mitigation plan meets CEQA guidelines.  The Wine Train must
provide funds which the CPUC will use to hire an independent
Environmental Compliance Monitor which will monitor Wine Train
compliance with today's Commission order and the FEIR and report
directly to the Commission.
    Within the next 90 days, property owners living adjacent to
the Wine Train who want landscaping or fencing improvements to
obscure passengers' views of their property may request the Wine
Train to make these improvements, and the improvements will be
made within the next 180 days.
    The increased taxes, payroll, goods and services and
potential to reduce the number of cars visiting the Napa Valley
override concerns that there may be some air quality and noise
impacts by expanded train operations.  These impacts will be
monitored to ensure they do not exceed threshold levels set by
the FEIR.  If noise levels increase 5 decibels over the present
level of service, the Wine Train must take steps to reduce them
as specified by the FEIR.
    If the City of St. Helena does not close McCorkle Avenue to
public use, the Wine Train must install crossing gates so that it
won't need to sound its horn at that location.
    The Wine Train is to hire a certified archaeologist during
initial excavation and grading for parking areas to reduce the
potential for cultural impacts.
    While the Wine Train has adequate toilet facilities on board
the train for ordinary use, the potential impact on water supply
in the area will be mitigated by requiring conversion of one
toilet/winery located adjacent to the Wine Train route, and/or
visited by passengers using shuttles in connection with Wine
Train trips, to a low-flush type.  The cost of conversion will be
borne by the Wine Train, and must be in place within 180 days of
the date the Wine Train begins to provide service to such a
winery.                                                    ###