Comment EI-21886
Received or sent (printed as 4/8/2016)
Greetings STB, Allow us to make several comments regarding the proposed new rail line “Great Lakes Basin Rail Line”. This intrusion into our communities will have far reaching and permanent negative affects. We are retired and our ages are in the mid 70s. We live northwest of Wanatah Indiana and the rail line routing as proposed will be about 0.6 miles due west of our home. This proposed rail line will have negative affects on our daily lives, and the lives of many many others: This is ‘open’ country and sound travels very far here, and we would surely hear the rumbling of every train. We have existing east-west rail lines within about 1.5 miles of our home in both a north and a south direction. Yes we do often hear those rumbling trains and their horns. However the closeness of the proposed new line would surely further disrupt our life in many ways including our health. Some studies indicate noise and or vibrations do have a negative effect on health. Because of the soil composition here, we can sometimes actually feel slight vibrations from these trains – what would a line much closer do to us and our homes. Much of the proposed route will be upon some of the best farm land in Indiana. Land that is very productive and has been drained and tiled and many plots already have permanent stationary irrigation equipment that would be disrupted. Dividing farm fields will make continued farming much less efficient and difficult. Vehicle and farm equipment traffic patterns will surely be disrupted on our non highway roads. There is no way to mitigate this issue. Waiting and waiting for rail traffic will result in drivers becoming impatient and doing foolish things. Can you say ‘deaths’. Access to rural homes, buildings, and fields by emergency services will also be disrupted and sometimes delayed in emergencies. Again, property damage and potential deaths. Time is crucial in any emergency situation. Lastly, our breathing air is now relatively pollution free, what will all these pollutant belching engines do to it? Surely can’t improve it. There must be a better way to solve the rail congestion problem, perhaps by utilizing property adjacent to existing rail lines. Much of this seems to be in under utilized urban areas. No we do not say NIMBY, we say stop this insane proposal. Respectfully, Byron and Darlene Wilson
Submitted by: Byron/Darlene Wilson · Wanatah, IN
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-21886
File docketyard.org/document/879ae28470d57d6b89e0c9c8bda116160fdb20666cade0503a19dc5de86146eb.docx · back to the docket sheet