49 U.S.C. § 22704 — Transparency; coordination; review

(a) Preparation. When preparing and reviewing its State rail plan, a State must give reasonable notice and a real chance to comment to several groups: the public, rail carriers, commuter and transit authorities that operate in or are affected by rail service in the State, local governments, and other interested parties.

(b) Intergovernmental Coordination. While preparing the plan, the State must also review the freight and passenger rail activities and initiatives of regional planning agencies, regional transportation authorities, and municipalities — either within the State or in its wider region. The State must include recommendations from those agencies, authorities, and municipalities, to the extent the State thinks that's appropriate.