Comment EI-20671
Received or sent (printed as 11/29/2014)
Hello Mr. Dave Navecky, I am writing the STB in concern over the Port Canaveral Cargo Rail Extension in its current proposed state. The numbers of issues I have with this plan are numerous, but I would appreciate if you address these specific concerns in your final draft of the EIS. Our non-tidal lagoons (banana and Indian River), Manatee Preserve, and Wildlife Refuge that will be affected by this plan are local economic engines and precious. These areas attract visitors and greatly improve the quality of life for our residents. Biological Resources: The Banana River NMZ (No-Motor-Zone) and adjacent Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge is a very unique area. This north stretch of the Banana River Lagoon is a pristine depiction of the lagoons natural state. Shorelines of the NMZ managed to not be developed for commercial or residential use due to NASA and CCAFS operations. These waters are the home of the only redfish known to breed inshore. These along with other species utilize small sections of these areas throughout their entire life cycles. What impacts will the current placement have on these unique schools of redfish? How will the rail line affect breeding, daily movements, migrations, feeding, and dispersal of young redfish that are vital to our recreational and charter fishing industries? How will this planned rail affect fish like the Shortnose Sturgeon, American Eel, Green Moray, Spotted Moray, Thread Eel, Goldspotted Eel, Shrimp Eel, Mangrove Rivulus, Reef Silverside, Brook Silverside, Rough Silverside, Tidewater Silverside, Penninsula Silverside, Atlantic Needlefish, Redfin Needlefish, Houndfish, Sheepshead Minnow, Goldspotted Killifish, Golden Topminnow, Marsh Killifish, Gulf Killifish, Mummichog, Longnose Killifish, Flagfish, Bluefin Killifish, Rainwater Killifish, Atlantic Flyingfish, Northern Halfbeak, Halfbeak, Mosquitofish, Least Killifish, Sailfin Molly, Guppy, Swordtail, Platy, Sunset Platy, Inshore Lizardfish, Snakefish, Oyster Toadfish, Yellowfin Menhaden, Atlantic Menhaden, False Pilchard, Redear Sardine, Scaled Sardine, Dwarf Herring, Atlantic Thread Herring, Spanish Sardine, Cuban Anchovy, Striped Anchovy, Bigeye Anchovy, Dusky Anchovy, Bay Anchovy, Bonefish, Ladyfish, Tarpon, Marginate Cusk-Eel, Bluespotted Cornetfish, Pugnose Pipefish, Lined Seahorse, Longsnout Seahorse, Dwarf Seahorse, Opossum Pipefish, Dusky Pipefish, Northern Pipefish, Chain Pipefish, Gulf Pipefish, Skilletfish, Longnose Gar, Florida Gar, Dwarf Frogfish, Splitlure Frogfish, Sargassumfish, Ocean Surgeon, Doctorfish, Barred Cardinalfish, Flamefish, Twospot Cardinalfish, Blackfin Cardinalfish, Conchfish, Striped Blenny, Florida Blenny, Pearl Blenny, Oyster Blenny, Barred Blenny, Crested Blenny, Highfin Blenny, Seaweed Blenny, Molly Miller, Spotted Dragonet, African Pompano, Yellow Jack, Blue Runner, Crevalle Jack, Horse-Eye Jack, Bar Jack, Atlantic Bumper, Leatherjacket, Bigeye Scad, Atlantic Moonfish, Lookdown, Florida Pompano, Permit, Bluespotted Sunfish, Swordspine Snook, Fat Snook, Tarpon Snook, Common Snook, Foureye Butterflyfish, Spotfin Butterflyfish, Bigeye Stargazer, Sand Stargazer, Arrow Stargazer, Masked Stargazer, Saddle Stargazer, Sharksucker, Atlantic Spadefish, Irish Pompano, Striped Mojarra, Rhomboid Mojarra, Spotfin Mojarra, Silver Jenny, Bigeye Mojarra, Slender Mojarra, Mottled Mojarra, Yellowfin Mojarra, River Goby, Nothchtongue Goby, Frillfin Goby, Bridled Goby, Lyre Goby, Goldspot Goby, Darter Goby, Blackbar Goby, Highfin Goby, Slashcheek Goby, Seaboard Goby, Code Goby, Tiger Goby, Smallmouth Grunt, French Grunt, Spanish Grunt, Cottonwick, Sailors Choice,White Grunt, Bluestriped Grunt, Pigfish, Burro Grunt, Spotfin Wrasse, Dwarf Wrasse, Slippery Dick, Pearly Razorfish, Bluehead, Palehead Blenny, Hairy Blenny, Blenny, Blackfin Blenny, Saddle Blenny, Checkered Blenny, Tripletail, Mutton Snapper, Schoolmaster, Cubera Snapper, Mangrove Snapper, Dog Snapper, Mohogany Snapper, Lane Snapper, Pugjaw Wormfish, Striped Mullet, White Mullet, Redeye Mullet, Fantail Mullet, Spotted Goatfish, Spotfin Jawfish, Ocellated Jawfish, Swamp Darter, Atlantic Threadfin, Little Scale Threadfin, French Angelfish, Sergeant Major, Night Sergeant, Dusky Damselfish, Bicolor Damselfish, Cocoa Damselfish, Bluefish, Princess Parrotfish, Redtail Parrotfish, brown shrimp, grass shrimp, fiddler crab, blue crab, Bucktooth Parrotfish, Redfin Parrotfish, Silver Perch, Striped Croaker, Spotted Seatrout, Silver Seatrout, Weakfish, High Hat, Spot fish, Southern Kingfish, Gulf Kingfish, Northern Kingfish, Atlantic Croaker, Black Drum, Star Drum, Sand Drum, Little T unny, King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel, Cero Mackerel, Bank Sea Bass, Rock Sea Bass, Black Sea Bass, Humpback Grouper, Dwarf Sand Perch, Sand Perch, Coney, Jewfish/Goliath grouper, Red Grouper, Warsaw Grouper, Nassau Grouper, Barred Hamlet, Butter Hamlet, Black Grouper, Gag; Gray Grouper, Scamp, Whitespotted Soapfish, Greater Soapfish, Lantern Bass, Belted Sandfish, Sheepshead, Sea Bream, Grass Porgy, Jolthead Porgy, Silver Porgy, Spottail Pinfish, Pinfish, Scup, Great Barracuda, Northern Sennet, Man-of-war Fish, Northern Harvestfish, Butterfish, Atlantic Cutlassfish, Southern Stargazer, Eyed Flounder, Twospot Flounder, Gulf Stream Flounder, Sand Whiff, Spotted Whiff, Bay Whiff, Fringed Flounder, Gulf Flounder, Summer Flounder, Southern Flounder, Flounder, Channel Flounder, Blackcheek Tonguefish, Hogchoker, Red Lionfish, Barbfish, Scorpionfish, Plumed Scorpionfish, Spotted Scorpionfish, Shortfin Searobin, Striped Searobin, Blackwing Searobin, Leopard Searobin, Bighead Searobin, Hardhead (Sea) Catfish, Gafftopsail Catfish, Brown Hoplo, Brown Bullhead, Channel Catfish, Tadpole Madtom, Dotterel Filefish, Orange Filefish, Filefish, Gray Triggerfish, Ocean Triggerfish, Fringed Filefish, Planehead Filefish, Ocean Sunfish, Honeycomb Cowfish, Scrawled Trunkfish, Trunkfish, Smooth Trunkfish, Bridled Burrfish, Striped Burrfish, Porcupinefish, Balloonfish, Smooth Puffer, Northern Puffer, Southern Puffer, Bandtail Puffer, or Checkerd Puffer as they breed, visit, and move around our waters? We want you to take into consideration even the smallest fishes as they are all vital to the web of life in our lagoons. Along with the boney fishes of the lagoon we also have many other creatures. How will this current rail plan affect sharks and rays like the Bull Shark, Blacktip Shark, Sandbar Shark, Tiger Shark, Smooth Dogfish, Lemon Shark, Scalloped Hammerhead, Great Hammerhead, Bonnethead, Nurse Shark, Southern Stingray, Atlantic Stingray, Bluntnose Stingray, Smooth Butterfly Ray, Atlantic Manta Ray, Spotted Eagle Ray, Bullnose Ray, Sourthern Eagle Ray, Cownose Ray, Smalltooth Sawfish, Largetooth Sawfish, Atlantic Guitarfish, and Lesser Electric Ray as they move, breed, and utilize the waters ? We also have an amazing amount of turtles and marine mammals. How will the potential for less available seagrass and with that less food for the threatened Florida Manatee? How will that lack of seagrass affect the bait fish populations that bottlenose dolphins rely on? How will this rail line as planned affect the manatee/bottlenose dolphin migrations and daily movement patters? Will the increased noise, vibration, and other ecological issues affect manatee/bottlenose dolphin breeding? Do trains affect bottlenose dolphin’s echolocation? How will this planned rail line affect the Loggerhead Turtle, Green Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Atlantic Ridley, Leatherback as they feed and move through the lagoon? Will the American alligators that live and breed in the path of this rail line be affected? I also ask that you look at the research of Dr. Grant Gilmore carefully as he has proven that the sounds of trains is the number one most destructive sound/type of pollution/danger to the breeding seatrout, which live and breed on the very flats you are currently proposing placing the rail. His research shows without a doubt that the sound of trains is highly disruptive to their breeding patterns, as the females often turn to the train rather than the male trout. This could have a severe impact on the health of the seatrout population in the north Banana River and No Motor Zone, a renowned spot for large breeder seatrout. As a concerned citizen I ask that the STB is diligent in investigating these and the many other issues that a project of this scope can unearth. This should also include the projected growth and increased rail traffic the Port Authority will adopt! I believe a well-rounded EIS is necessary to determine if the true cost of this current plan is far too high. The areas will play host to this railway long after we have gone, and will still be in the eyesight of our children. The 528 corridor seems to be the best and only option available that would not have drastic impacts on our already fragile lagoon and refuge. A less desirable version, but still better than earthen berms; would be elevated truss for the entire length and not one scoop of fill dirt used. Is the 3.7 Billon our lagoons and refuge bring this economy worth risking for a few cargo rail jobs? Thank You
Submitted by: Tammy Wilson · Space Coast Kayak Anglers · Cocoa, FL - Florida
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-35852/comment/EI-20671 · back to the docket sheet