Comment EI-33731
Received or sent (printed as 3/15/2025)
To Whom It May Concern, I am a custom hay farmer operating on several different ranches along the proposed railroad tracks, and I have serious concerns about the potential risks this project poses to my operation and the surrounding environment. One of my primary concerns is the increased risk of wildfires caused by train operations. Drought conditions have become more frequent over the past decade, and there have already been multiple fires along the existing railway tracks near Highway 29, which Texas Materials currently uses. Fire suppression efforts in the area often rely on local ponds, which are already at critically low levels. Additional fire risks from the new railroad could further strain these limited water resources, making fire control even more challenging. Another major concern is the impact of dust generated by railway construction and ongoing operations. Excessive dust could blanket the pastures I rely on for hay production, reducing the quality of my crop and potentially affecting my livelihood. Given these risks, I urge you to consider mitigation measures such as fire prevention strategies, improved water access for firefighting, and dust control measures to protect agricultural operations in the area. Chris Files
Submitted by: Chris Files · Central Texas Agriculture · Burnet, TX
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-36815/comment/EI-33731 · back to the docket sheet