Comment EI-18095
Received or sent (printed as 4/13/2010)
I understand that the primary objective of this rail extension is to facilitate the movement of freight between interior Alaska and a port. Since the Anchorage port is further away and has very little land for staging industrial projects, extending the RR to the port at MacKenzie does make sense. I believe the Willow route should be selected for the following reasons: 1. It is the most direct route from the interior to a port. 2. It has the least impact on dedicated recreational trails. 3. It crosses or impacts less private property than the other 2 routes. 4. It will not cross any major roads, and only a few minor ones. 5. Although this route requires the construction of more rail miles, the reduced cost of road and trail crossings and the fewer land condemnations and conflicts with private land owners could make it the most cost effective route. 6. If a road were to be constructed later adjacent to the Rail, it would greatly reduce commercial traffic though downtown Big Lake. 7. As the port becomes more successful, increased Rail traffic to it along the Willow route will be the least disruptive for the majority of the population. 8. The Willow route follows a glacier moraine and might avoid more wet lands than the other two routes. I encourage you to select the Willow route.
Submitted by: James Faiks · Big Lake, AK
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-35095/comment/EI-18095 · back to the docket sheet