State Senate blocks $80M for proposed Northern Lights Express

DULUTH, MN -- State lawmakers delivered a big blow to the proposed Northern Lights Express Monday.

The Minnesota State Senate voted to block funding for the train, which would connect the Twin Ports to the Twin Cities with several stops along the way.

Last week, the Minnesota House voted to put $80 million dollars toward that project.

But Monday, the Senate passed an amendment to the state’s transportation bill, knocking that project off the list.

State Senator Jason Rarick, a republican whose district would be home to a large stretch of NLX track, voted to kill the project.

Senator Jen McEwen, a DFL’er who represents the Duluth area, voted to keep it.

There was no immediate word on what could come next for the NLX proposal.

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