Comment EI-19404
Received or sent (printed as 1/6/2013)
Mr. Ken Blodgett Surface Transportation Board 395 E Street, SW Washington, D.C. 20423-0001 Note environmental filing: Docket No. FD 30186 This project would contribute substantially to the use of coal from the US by foreign countries, most prominently China, and thus contribute to the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide. It is the informed opinion of the climate research community, not including those sponsored by the energy and mining interests, that continuing or enabling the use of coal anywhere in the world will severely impact portions of the United States as well as all the other countries and regions threatened by global warming. It is in the interests of the United States to oppose this rail project. I base this on my scientific background (chemistry and biology), my current reading in this field, and the opinions and warnings of the legitimate scientific community You, too, should pay attention, for your role in public policy and science-based governmental decisions. Sincerely, Kay Fields PhD kfields123@gmail.com. I agree with the following statement: The environmental impact statement for the proposed Tongue River Railroad should analyze the following: 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 an earthen dam and potentially worsen 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 over passes 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.
Submitted by: Kay Fields · Bethesda, Maryland
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-19404 · back to the docket sheet