Stakeholders laud Newton Rail Park’s certified site designation as game changer

Brett Doerring was sitting in the cab of his tractor when he got a phone call from Brandon Talsma, the then-chairman of the Jasper County Board of Supervisors, asking him if he could help track down or get him in contact with landowners for what could be the biggest economic opportunity Jasper County had ever seen.

The longtime Newton native knew exactly who to call, and over time the idea took shape and became what is now known as the Newton Rail Park, a more than 400-acre industrial park outfitted with rail access. On Thursday, Doerring joined leaders from city, county and state agencies to officially certify the site.

Following the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s site certification approval of the Newton Rail Park, it signifies to potential developers that environmental and archaeological reviews, utility assessments and mitigation planning have all been cleared, thereby reducing risk and accelerating construction timelines.

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