Comment EI-19808
Received or sent (printed as 1/10/2013)
I'd like to preface my questions by stating that I grew up on a Montana cattle ranch and know first-hand how hard it is for a family to make a living raising beef cattle. What will be done to help surface land-owners retain the value of the land when a railroad cuts across it? What will be done to prevent sparks from the train from starting grass fires? What percentage of fire suppression cost will Arch Coal pay? What will be done to ensure that livestock can freely access grass and water? What percentage of costs is Arch Coal willing to pay for livestock lost on the tracks? As I mentioned above, it is hard for cattle ranchers to make a living, and the loss of only a few head of cattle can make or break an enterprise. What will be done to preserve the wildlife population including elk, deer and upland birds? What will be done to maintain the peace of security of recreational areas? Who will pay for any noise mitigation efforts? There are laws about containing coal dust from moving trains, but they are not consistently enforced. Coal dust in the air causes severe respiratory problems, contaminates the water you and I drink and eventually contaminates the food we eat. What will be done to make sure these laws are consistently enforced? Please take this very seriously. This railroad will not benefit Montana residents, it will benefit only Arch Coal.
Submitted by: Judy Staigmiller · Bozeman, 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-19808 · back to the docket sheet