Comment EI-24778
Received or sent (printed as 7/13/2016)
July 13, 2016 Surface Transportation Board Attn: Victoria Rutson Director, Office of Environmental Analysis Docket No. FD 35952 Dear Board, Recently, Great Lakes Basin Transportation announced that it was interested in building a rail line from east of Milton, Wisconsin to La Porte, Indiana. As the State Senator who represents Milton and portions of Rock County adjacent to the proposed route identified by Great Lakes Basin Transportation I object to the route proposed by the Great Lakes Basin Transportation. The route would require new track to be laid and it would run through some of the best farmland in our state. It is estimated that with the railroads 200 foot easement 575 acres of farmland would be lost. According to University of Wisconsin Extension agriculture agent Nick Baker the minimum financial loss per acre would be $769.50. He calculated that figure based on the typical rotation of corn and soybeans, and he stressed that his figures represented minimum amounts and that could be much higher using Farm Service Agency yield averages for Rock County. Agent Baker also indicated that it wouldn't just be farmers losing money. He estimated that the loss to the agriculture service industry would be $170,000 when you add in the losses associated with providing seed, fertilizer, herbicide, agronomy services, fuel, and equipment. Additionally, the proposed route will fragment large blocks of woodlands and negatively impact wetlands. The proposed rail line will have a significant and permanent impact on the environment, people living near the route, and the local governments whose boundaries the train will run through. Just this week I received a petition signed by over 850 Rock County residents opposing the project. I urge you to strongly consider the input you have received from Rock County residents, the county board and town governments when examining this proposal. Sincerely, Janis Ringhand Wisconsin State Senator 15th Senate District
Submitted by: Senator Janis Ringhand · Wisconsin State Senate · Evansville, Wisconsin
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-24778 · back to the docket sheet