Comment EI-23927
Received or sent (printed as 6/19/2016)
Charlotte Zerbs-Barth 3762 W 7940 N Road Manteno, IL 60950 e-mail: czerbsbarth@aol.com Mr. Dave Navecky Surface Transportation Board Docket No. FD 35952 395 E Street SW Washington, DC 20423-0001 June 19, 2016 Re: Docket No. FD 35952 Great Lakes Basin Transportation, Inc. Dear Mr. Navecky: I am contacting you today to voice my opposition to the proposed route of the Great Lakes Basin Transportation, Inc. high speed rail line (hereinafter GLB). In particular I am seeking your assistance with finding a way to ensure that a particular environmental impact, a “taking”, of endangered and threatened species living within the proposed route be addressed prior to approval of this project. Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act (hereinafter the ESA) regulates activities that affect endangered and threatened plants and animals and the habitats upon which they depend. Unless specifically allowed by permit, the ESA prohibits activities that affect listed species and their habitats. A specific impact is a “taking” of the species and it can be either deliberate or incidental. The term “take” means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. (https://www.fws.gov) If this project is allowed, the construction and operation of this rail line can cause harm to these species by disrupting the populations through air pollution, noise, water pollution, accidents, and habitat fragmentation. (http://www.oecd.org/trade/envtrade/2386636.pdf) My research shows that several endangered and threatened species live in Kankakee county alone. As of September30, 2015, these species included the Indiana bat, the Northern long-eared bat, the Sheepnose mussel, the Rattlesnake-master borer moth, the Eastern prairie fringed orchid, and the Leafy prairie clover. (https://www.fws.gov). If you consider the other counties on the proposed route the number of species impacted by this project is considerably longer. The company purports to being “committed to being a good neighbor and a positive contributor to the economy of the counties on its route.” Isn’t part of being a good neighbor minimizing and mitigating harm to the environment? Doesn’t the GLB have to address the impact on the native species? Does GLB even plan on complying with the ESA regulations? I don’t see any mention of a plan to protect these resources despite the reality that these species provide a positive contribution to our economy. Please don’t let GLB further jeopardize the endangered and threatened species living in Kankakee county or any other county unless they receive the necessary permits prior to beginning construction. Sincerely, Charlotte Zerbs-Barth /cz
Submitted by: Charlotte Zerbs-Barth · Manteno, IL
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-23927 · back to the docket sheet