The cost of the project would be about $60 million to start up and about $8 million to $10 million a year to operate, Lambert said.

He said people who might not want to ride the bus might want to pay a fare of about $11 to $12 to commute between the Capital City and the Crescent City and conduct business on the train.

Amtrak has indicated it is willing to make rail cars available, Lambert said. Refurbishing the tracks and depots between the two cities would be the costliest items, he said..

If the money -- part of a federal block grant the LRA has been allocated by the federal government -- is made available, the commuter rail service could be "up and running in six months" Lambert said.

In his letter to state officials dated Thursday, Stark said FEMA will not continue financing the LA Swift service. "In the months immediately following Katrina, there was a compelling need to support and enhance Louisiana's public transportation system, particularly in and between New Orleans and Baton Rouge," Stark said. "But the stable situation in Louisiana forecloses FEMA's options for continued federal support" under federal law.

Stark said FEMA will continue to provide "transportation to essentials services for individuals in FEMA's group and commercial trailer sites."