Comment EI-23005
Received or sent (printed as 5/26/2016)
May 26, 2016 DOCKET NUMBER FD-35952 ATTN: Dave Navecky Property Location: Porter County Indiana Roads S450W and W550S Detailed Map 2 (28 – 29) Porter County Parcel Numbers: 641231200003000018 and 641231251001000018 Property Name: Jerry Allen Marsh Property Owner: Waterfowl USA Jerry Allen Marsh (JAM) is a 72 acre restored wetlands created in 1991 as part of the Indiana Grand Kankakee Marsh Project (IGKMP) and funded thru the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) managed by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. The role of wetlands in the ecosystem is well documented. The JAM was acquired and restored with its wetlands and associated uplands benefiting wildlife, waterfowl, shorebirds, grassland-dependent songbirds, and other migratory birds such as the American Bald Eagle. The proposed Great Lakes Basin rail line will run approximately within one half mile, east and west, north of the JAM. Our opposition and concerns for this project relate to potential groundwater contamination, drainage, and noise impact for breeding waterfowl. Ground Water Contamination Hazardous product freight transportation creates risk of accidental spills whether by defective rail or equipment. Due to the close approximation of the GLB to the existing wetland, any release of product would be devastating to this marsh and its wildlife inhabitants. In that water levels at JAM are controlled by a Flashboard Riser water level control structure on the west end of the property. Any spillage of toxic product moving into the marsh would be further transported via this structure into the Cornell Ditch which flows south to the Kankakee River. Further, one benefit of a wetlands is its’ filtering function upon potable well water systems. Such function of JAM would be compromised with the addition of contaminants. Drainage Again, as water movement runs south from the proposed line, our concern is that construction and installation of the proposed GBL will impede this natural flow. The JAM acts as a reservoir for excess surface water assisting in flood control of adjoining farmland and roads. Alteration of this process by installation of the rail line must be considered. Noise Pollution According to National Park System studies sound, just like the availability of nesting materials or food sources, plays an important role in the ecosystem. Activities such as finding desirable habitat and mates, avoiding predators, protecting young and establishing territories are all dependent on the acoustical environment. In order to continue with these activities, animals are being forced to adapt to increasing noise levels. Human-caused noise has produced similar results in multiple bird species (Barber, Fristrup, Brown, Hardy, Angeloni, & Crooks, 2009). In general, a growing number of studies indicate that wildlife, like humans, is stressed by a noisy environment. When these effects are combined with other stressors such as winter weather, disease, and food shortages, sound impacts can have important implications for the health and vitality of the wildlife populations. We are concerned such factors caused by train engine and traveling rail stock noise of GLB will similarly impact JAM.
Submitted by: Paul Mazerik · Waterfowl USA · Griffith, 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.
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