Comment EI-19058
Received or sent (printed as 11/23/2012)
As is obvious by the address above, we do not live in Montana at the present time. We do, however, have a familiarity with, and fondness for, the natural beauty of the area and its sacredness. Many writers often talk of the last great places," and the northern plains will unfortunately fit that description if the current push for gas, coal, pipelines, and railroad routes continues. The plains have always been a great place and, as the dust bowl era will attest, subject to ecological abuse. Let us not repeat the abusive history of our past through infrastructure construction that will make them the "last" great place. Eastern Montana in particular has much suffering to look forward to if this proposal becomes a reality. Therefore, we strongly oppose the construction of the Tongue River Railroad and increased coal-for-export traffic throughout Montana. This proposal would negatively affect eastern Montana by requiring taxpayers to shoulder the cost of infrastructure upgrades through Montana towns and by condemning private land for corporate profit, just to fuel competing Asian economies. It would also irreparably damage the Tongue River Valley and all of its agricultural, historical, and cultural resources. Ranchers and farmers have made living in this valley for generations, and the TRR would harm property values and and operations. I urge you to consider these impacts in the scope of the environmental impact statement, to act upon the statewide opposition to this project, and to pursue the no-action alternative. Bob and Judy Cureton"
Submitted by: Bob and Judy Cureton · Northern Plains Resource Council
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/FD-30186/comment/EI-19058 · back to the docket sheet