Post by Clipper on Jan 8, 2012 11:18:15 GMT -5
Adirondack train plan rankles environmental groups
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. —
A railroad's plan to haul freight over 30 miles of track through the Adirondacks continues to draw criticism.
Iowa Pacific plans to open a freight service between Newcomb and North River on the so-called Tahawus (tuh-HAWS) Line to haul the rock left over after ore is extracted from mines.
The environmental group Protect the Adirondacks says easements through state Forest Preserve are void and the tracks should be removed. Another conservation group, Adirondack Council, told the Glens Falls Post-Star (http://bit.ly/Ao9Vn0) it may join a petition to stop the plans.
Federal regulators in November denied a petition filed by the railway to allow the company to begin hauling freight on the track. An Iowa Pacific executive said that the company will go forward with its plans on the private spur.
Copyright 2012 The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York. Some rights
Seems that a bunch of tree huggers are up in arms because a railroad wants to use it's own existing tracks to move mine tailings OUT of the area.
What I don't understand is how they can object and how the state can possibly prevent the project based on environmental issues.
The tracks are already in place. That tells me that the railroad already had trains moving through the area at one time or another in the past. The state allows snowmobiles, hunting, and other human intrusion on nature in the area, but they are objecting to a few trains moving through the area. Seems that the only impact would be a little noise, and that should not impact wildlife anywhere but within a small corridor directly adjacent to the RR track.
Even if there were a derailment, what are they going to dump? A few gondola cars filled with ROCKS? Tree huggers probably want it preserved for a hiking trail, or the snowmobile lobby wants the tracks torn up so they can use it as a trail.
Did they ever stop to think that the "green" thing to do is to allow the stone to be moved by rail, precluding the use heavy truck traffic, polluting the air, and beating up the roads. Where is there justification for the objections?
It is probably just a case of someone putting the correct amount of money in the correct pocket in Albany. Has to be enough money to make up for any lost votes over the issue. A big check from the railroad should clear this up in no time. The hurdles will crumble a little more with each column filled to the left of the comma in the dollar figure.
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. —
A railroad's plan to haul freight over 30 miles of track through the Adirondacks continues to draw criticism.
Iowa Pacific plans to open a freight service between Newcomb and North River on the so-called Tahawus (tuh-HAWS) Line to haul the rock left over after ore is extracted from mines.
The environmental group Protect the Adirondacks says easements through state Forest Preserve are void and the tracks should be removed. Another conservation group, Adirondack Council, told the Glens Falls Post-Star (http://bit.ly/Ao9Vn0) it may join a petition to stop the plans.
Federal regulators in November denied a petition filed by the railway to allow the company to begin hauling freight on the track. An Iowa Pacific executive said that the company will go forward with its plans on the private spur.
Copyright 2012 The Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New York. Some rights
Seems that a bunch of tree huggers are up in arms because a railroad wants to use it's own existing tracks to move mine tailings OUT of the area.
What I don't understand is how they can object and how the state can possibly prevent the project based on environmental issues.
The tracks are already in place. That tells me that the railroad already had trains moving through the area at one time or another in the past. The state allows snowmobiles, hunting, and other human intrusion on nature in the area, but they are objecting to a few trains moving through the area. Seems that the only impact would be a little noise, and that should not impact wildlife anywhere but within a small corridor directly adjacent to the RR track.
Even if there were a derailment, what are they going to dump? A few gondola cars filled with ROCKS? Tree huggers probably want it preserved for a hiking trail, or the snowmobile lobby wants the tracks torn up so they can use it as a trail.
Did they ever stop to think that the "green" thing to do is to allow the stone to be moved by rail, precluding the use heavy truck traffic, polluting the air, and beating up the roads. Where is there justification for the objections?
It is probably just a case of someone putting the correct amount of money in the correct pocket in Albany. Has to be enough money to make up for any lost votes over the issue. A big check from the railroad should clear this up in no time. The hurdles will crumble a little more with each column filled to the left of the comma in the dollar figure.
