Comment EI-19484
Received or sent (printed as 1/7/2013)
The proposed Tongue River Railroad should be denied permits for the following the reasons: 1) It does not meet the standards for eminent domain. It is not for public convenience and necessity. It serves only one coal company, Arch Coal, which intends to ship its product to China and other Asian markets. 2) It will devalue property and infringe on property rights. It will make farming and ranching more difficult and expensive., and will split ranch and farm land in half. It will separate fields from the river, and shift liability for the crossings to the land owner. 3) Industrializing the area will degrade excellent habitat for elk and deer, and negatively impact local revenue generated by sportsmen and other recreational visitors. 4) The noise will ruin the quiet environment of nearby recreation in Miles City.5) Increased coal traffic will cause traffic delays, and increased deisel pollution. Ther will be a need for expensive overpasses and safety crossings costing millions of dollars that will increase taxes. 6) It will promote a dirty energy source tha will increase carbon emissions in many ways over and above the burning of the coal. Mining, halting from the mine to the West Coast in trucks, shipping to Asian markets in deisel fueled ships, and transporting once in Asia to desired locations will all add to global pollution at a time when we, as a species, are dangerously close to creating irreversible climate chaos by our dependence on fossil fuels. This proposal may create much needed jobs in the short term, but at what cost to the quality of life for the next generation and beyond? I implore you to consider this in your EIS, and to deny permits for this proposal. , hauling from the mines to the West Coast
Submitted by: Kathy Danze · Portland, Oregon
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-19484 · back to the docket sheet