Comment EI-21820
Received or sent (printed as 3/28/2016)
To whom it may concern: Recently the Glb railroad has come to light in our area and after seeing the proposed route it will go through 2 of my families agricultural fields as well as past my home. The rail will split the fields to where it would pointless to plant and use the East portion, reducing our productivity and profits (as if they are not small enough in this economy). My area in Morgan Township (Porter County), IN is made up of mainly small farmers who make their living room with this land and most of them will be affected just like me. My next door neighbor will be landlocked out of half of his field one side by rail and two by waterways, I don't suppose the GLB will pay him to gain access to his land. Next is their so called compensation. Their $20,000 am acre for an easement and free rail to haul out product, and free electricity is a joke. First off $20,000 is not nearly enough while it may be higher than what agricultural land is going for now the fact is it's not going to be agricultural and like I sad before will render sections of most fields useless. Secondly, we the landowner will have to pay to put in a rail spur and then rent the train which will cost us much more than it would if we just trucked it to the elevators ourselves. And lastly for the electric, what will happen the first day the rail is open and they sell the rail to a different company? Will they honor that agreement? No. Also, who will pay the property tax on the rail lines since it is just an easement? So if there is an estimated 110 trains a day using the line (every 13 mins a train going by) most hauling hazardous material, who is going to pay the local fire Dept in every Township it runs through for extra trucks, training and equipment? The tax payers? Or the road that will be dead ended, that will add longer response times. There is no positive aspects of this project for anyone in the path or around where this rail is going. They only people will help is the private company forcing it upon us(and very sneaky at that). I don't trust the Frank Patton behind all this, he has said some pretty scary things on the papers, he is only looking out for his wallet where as I am looking out for not only my own but every small farmer this will affect and possibly end their farming. Land value will plummet and they will not be able to pass the farm down to their children or grandchildren, but just leave them with a railway contamination. One day we hope to pass down the farm to our 18 month old son, hopefully there will be one left that the GLB railway hasn't destroyed. Just a mile north of our properties is a wildlife preserve that I'm sure will be affected with the added noise and congestion, I'm sure the animals will go on to find a new place to live. There is no need, want or positive reason for the people affected for this rail to go in. This is an ego power trip by Mr. Patton. Why is there no Porter County STB meeting? It will affect so many here. We deserve to be heard, we will be traveling to 3 meetings making our voice heard, but it is highly unfair not to have a meeting in Porter County! Sincerely, Kellie Pozil 552 E 200 S Valparaiso Indiana Kelliepozil@hotmail Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID
Submitted by: Kellie Pozil
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-35952/comment/EI-21820 · back to the docket sheet