Comment EI-19304
Received or sent (printed as 1/5/2013)
Docket No. FD 30186 Attention of: Mr. Ken Blodgett Thank you for the opportunity to comment: The environmental impact statement for the proposed Tongue River Railroad should analyze the following: Strong consideration of coalburning to global warming must be addressed before allowing any increase in coal mining or sale for export. Because the effects are worldwide - ocean acidification, greater incidence of severe weather events, highly probable drought and dessication in the Great Plains, ecosystem change too fast for a great many plant species to survive, and consequent problems for animal species indigenous to the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains, as well as other subsequent human environmental and economic impacts, this consideration must be addresses before granting any permit resulting in increased coal extraction and use. Severe pollutants such as methyl mercury and low intensity radionuclides are contained in this coal, and coal dust and other spread must be considered. ALL factors affecting human and ecosystem health due to direct polluting effects, and end-use atmospheric pollution must be weighed and have significant effect on permitting decisions. Public convenience and necessity: This proposed railroad is not for the “public convenience and necessity” which is what is required in order for a body to get the power of eminent domain and condemnation authority. This railroad would serve only one coal company giant, Arch Coal, which intends to sell the coal to China and other Asian countries. Impacts on property values: The project would devalue property and infringes on property rights. This railroad will cause fires, spread weeds, devalue property (especially riverfront property), will make ranching and farming more difficult and expensive, will split ranch land in half and separate fields from the river and will shift the liability of train crossings to the landowner. Wildlife: The Tongue River Valley is rich in wildlife habitat and home to outstanding elk and mule deer populations as well as upland birds. Industrializing this valley with a railroad and the coal strip mine it serves will seriously degrade this excellent sportsman resource. Flooding: The railroad bed will act as diking, or levee. Such damming will narrow and speed water flow, very likely worsening the flooding problems now experienced in Miles City in the winter with ice jams. Noise: The loud trains will ruin the quiet enjoyment of nearby recreation areas near Miles City. Infrastructure and traffic: Taxes will go up for residents communities along the rail lines as the coal heads to coastal ports for shipment. This railroad will increase coal train traffic substantially causing traffic delays, noise, and diesel pollution. The only way to live with this increased traffic will require expensive overpasses and safety crossing which are paid for primarily by local taxpayers. The Tongue River Railroad will allow coal that should stay in the ground to be burned in dirty Chinese plants and will fuel intolerable, decades-long increases in Carbon Dioxide emissions. The greenhouse gas costs of Otter Creek coal go far beyond just burning the coal. It must be mined, hauled by trains fueled by diesel to West Coast terminals, shipped overseas by ships fueled by diesel, and then hauled in China to the plants. The whole scheme is highly unfavorable economically to the entire area in both long- and short-term, and this consideration should require denial of permit to ravage the Tongue River Valley for single corporate profit. Please vote to deny permit with discriminiation - denying it forever. Thank you.
Submitted by: Michael McLaughlin · Eureka, California
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-19304 · back to the docket sheet