Comment EI-19501
Received or sent (printed as 1/7/2013)
Montana citizens analyze impact statements and give public testimony at public hearings. Then the Tongue River Railroad and Arch Coal decide, whoops, I guess we don't like where that plan is headed. They want to short-circuit the process with a new application to the Surface Transportation Board. Don't let them. Please let's follow through with analyzing the true effects of this disastrous idea, to dig up 1.3 million tons of coal, shipping it by railroad through a pristine agricultural valley and themn through many populated cities and towns all the way to the West Coast, and then to Asian markets to be burned and further pollute our atmosphere. This is a VERY bad idea. If that coal is dug up and hauled, then burned, we will add over 2.6 billion tons of greenhouse gases going into our already overloaded atmosphere. Don't tolerate this last minute bait and switch by powerful corporate interests that are subverting the public welfare. Reopen the public comment period and hold a hearing in Colstrip. And for the sake of the people -- in which all political power rests according to our Constitution -- you need to analyze the devastating effects climate change will have on Montana and the nation. You also need to analyze harm to existing agricultural operations and to those people like me who live along the new route.
Submitted by: Jeffrey J. Smith · Missoula, Montana
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-19501 · back to the docket sheet