GLB RR needs more alternatives

 

The federal agency charged with regulating railroads has told Great Lakes Basin Transportation that it needs to detail alternatives to its preferred alignment for a proposed freight railroad around Chicago.

The Surface Transportation Board’s Office of Environmental Analysis instructed the company in a July 5 letter to submit alternative alignments — or explain why there aren’t any — along its 278-mile route from LaPorte to Milton, Wisconsin.

“We are proceeding to respond to the board’s inquiries,” railroad counsel Michael Blaszak said Thursday.

The Great Lakes Basin Rail Line would serve as a bypass around Chicago, where congestion can cause a freight-rail trip through the city to take as long as 30 hours, according to the company.

The letter, signed by agency Director Victoria Rutson, said that more than 3,500 comments have been submitted regarding the proposed project since scoping meetings were held this spring. Comments will continue to be received through Friday.

Many of the comments suggest alternative alignments, according to Rutson’s letter.

“The alternatives include using underutilized rail routes and existing transportation corridors that, in the commenters’ view, could minimize impacts to farms, homes, and businesses that would result from construction of the GLBT’s proposed route,” Rutson wrote.

The Porter County Commissioners, who have registered their opposition to the railroad, are scheduled to discuss an alternate route at their 1 p.m. meeting Tuesday. The agenda includes a presentation by Bob Cauffman, a member of a citizens group fighting the railroad.

Railroad Chairman Frank Patton and President Jim Wilson have said throughout the early stages of the planning process that Great Lakes Basin Transportation’s intent is to minimize the railroads impact on property owners along its route.

“We definitely want to be good neighbors,” Wilson told The Times Editorial Board in May.

The alternatives GLBT will submit to the Surface Transportation Board will be included in a draft Environmental Impact Statement, the next step in the planning process.

Environmental impact statements generally include several alternatives — including a “no build” option — as required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

The environmental study can’t move forward without detailed alternatives, according to Rutson: “(I)t appears that consideration of one alignment may not allow the Board to meet its obligations under NEPA in this case.”

The Office of Environmental Analysis has given GLBT an Aug. 29 deadline to submit its study of alternatives

Above is from:  http://www.nwitimes.com/business/transportation/regulators-want-more-alternatives-for-great-lakes-railroad-alignment/article_74396673-303e-5c05-842c-1471affa6884.html

Non-profit food fees on apparent HOLD

The following is from Cathy Ward’s FACEBOOK and refers to Boone County’s Health and Human Services Committee of the Boone County Board.  This committee under normal circumstances must vote on the issue before the issue goes to the Boone County Board.

 

Cathy Ward

11 hrs ·

BOONE COUNTY - NOT FOR PROFIT FOOD FEES - Decision on the Health Department's request to add food fees for not-for-profit groups on hold for a while. Last night (Thursday) Toria Funderberg, Marion Thornberry and I argued at length against these fees but Health Administrators Cindy Frank and Bill Hatfield kept pounding on their need for more money from these fees (they would add about $25,000 to their budget.) I have long argued that the good these many, many groups here do , far outweights the money the health department wants. Committee Chair Jeff Carlisle said he needs lots more information before he will consider a vote on this highly controversial issue. Thanks, Jeff. Their proposed budget is over $1 million this year and includes a proposed salary for the administrator of more than $90,000. Lots of questions here need to be answered. If you recall the health department gave raises a couple years ago that were 55%, 33% and 13%. These have added to their increased budget. Amazing. Thanks to all that attended.

High turnover in Rauner’s Administration—what does it mean?

 

ILLINOIS -- Governor Bruce Rauner's administration hasn't gone on unscathed in Illinois's budget crisis.

In the first year and a half, around a half dozen top aides or agency directors have left their positions. While turnover can be normal in a governor's term in office, some of these departures have been anything but.

UIS political science professor and former Illinois Board of Elections director Ron Michaelson said it’s not a great sign when a number of key officials leave unexpectedly.

"This is quite a few replacements or departures I should say when you're only not only halfway through your term,” Michaelson said.

In a number of cases, the departures have been for greener pastures. Former Rauner chief of staff Mike Zolnierowicz left to help the Illinois Republican Party in the fall elections.

Not all goodbyes were equally as smooth,

The most chaotic of departures involved the governor's appointees for director of the Department of Agriculture Phil Nelson and state fair manager Patrick Buchen. The resignations came shortly after last year's fair when numbers appeared to be significantly lower.
Buchen publicly criticized the Rauner team for unprofessional behavior and accused his office of cronyism and interference. The Governor's Office said Buchen had been involved in threatening a staffer during the affair.
More recently and much more professionally, chief operating officer Linda Lingle resigned her post last week. The governor had put her in charge of transforming state government.
Michaelson said the state's budget climate has likely not been an easy one to work in.

"It certainly drains people who have been working on this night and day for weeks and months,” Michaelson said, “And to have a result like we had which is an imperfect or impartial result can cause discouragement or disillusionment."
Lingle was one of two highly paid officials involved in helping fix the state financially. She earned $198,000 a year as COO.

Another official, Donna Arduin, was tasked with helping craft a budget last year. She was paid between $15,000 and $30,000 a month for about half a year in 2015. Arduin, unlike Lingle, was under a contract which the governor chose not to extend.

The Governor’s Office issued the following statement in response to this story.

It read:

"Like any large corporation, organization or governmental office there will always be turnover.”

Above is from:  http://www.illinoishomepage.net/news/capitol-news/turnover-in-gov-rauners-turnaround-administration

Don Ellingson’s comments on GLB RR and a printed response

 

 

Posted Jun. 29, 2016 at 3:01 PM

This is a copy of a letter I sent to the Surface Transportation Board regarding the Great Lakes Basin Railroad Project. To nyone reading this who agrees with this, please send your thoughts to the Surface Transportation Board. Comments may be submitted to stb.dot.gov. Several voices are much more influential than one voice. The deadline for such letters was June 15, but it has been extended to July 15.

To the Surface Transportation Board:

I know that you as a federal board has the power to OK or reject the application of the Great Lakes Basin Railroad Project. Neither I, nor anyone else, knows what your decision will be. However if, and I said if, you decide that the railroad project can go forward, I have one imperative suggestion that you should require of the group planning the railroad.

That suggestion is: All the crossings of roads and railroads must be an overpass. At first mention this may shock you, but if you give it real serious thought, I think you will agree. It sounds extreme, but, yes, I said all of the crossings. Some crossings today may seem insignificant, but who knows about a few years from now. Once a railroad is built, changes are rare. This will cost a lot of money, but it is worth it.

Crossing accidents between trains and cars, trucks and buses are not real common, but they are still too common and usually result in fatalities. As the number of trains and highway traffic increases, the chances of accidents and fatalities also increases. And everyone knows that traffic will increase as the years go by and the population grows.

The railroad project is not planned for the past 100 years. It is planned for the next 100 or more years. I said it would be costly, but spread over 100 or more years it is not so costly. If one, five, 10 or more lives are lost, what is the cost?

If, as in the past when all crossings had waiting times, it would not only be a great inconvenience for thousands of motorists and vehicles on the highways, but for the fire trucks on the way to fight a fire, or an ambulance rushing to help someone in dire need or rushing someone to the hospital.

Remember, population is ever increasing or you would not be considering new railroads, but so is traffic. No one can predict what the increase will be in the long-term future, but you can be confident it will be a great amount.

One final thought — overpasses will not only guarantee safety, but also help to prevent noise. Instead of a train whistle at every crossing, which could be almost nonstop, the area would be reasonably and peacefully quiet.

Please think long and seriously about this — the future safety of many depends on it.

— Donald Ellingson, Poplar Grove

• Posted Jul. 6, 2016 at 10:00 AM

  In response to the July 3 “My View,” titled “Overpass for the GLB Railroad”: First and foremost, the information we have seen about the proposed Boone County route shows absolutely no benefit to Boone County.

  As to Mr. Ellingson’s proposal for an overpass at every county road crossing, very diabolical! Great Lakes Basin Transportation Inc. is considering the Boone County route because the Winnebago route would cost $1 billion more due to environmental issues that have to be addressed. An overpass at every road crossing in Boone County would easily add $1 billion to the cost, plus, years of construction delays — not so brilliant! If there is one positive about the GLB issue, it is that the Boone County board finally realizes the value of our prime farmland and the county’s comprehensive plan. Add to this the fact that an overpass at every crossing would probably destroy twice as much farmland. Further, has there been an estimate of the cost of raising the six-lane Interstate 90 to cross over the proposed GLB track? This would not be at the expense of Illinois taxpayers. Right? — Richard Gadke, Capron

Cathy Ward’s Update on food permits for not for profits

Cathy Ward

20 hrs ·

BOONE COUNTY NOT-FOR-PROFITS FOOD PERMITS - Fee hikes for not-for-profit food events are not expected to be voted on at the monthly Boone County Board Health Committee meeting Thursday (July 7) , Health Committee Chair Jeff Carlisle said today (Tuesday). The Health Board, by a vote of 8-1, approved seeking fees for all not-for-profits last week, but Carlisle wants more time to review their proposal. Good news. I have been opposed to this for years, but it keeps coming back from the health board. Carlisle voted against the proposed hikes a few months ago, too. To be approved, the majority of the full board must approve this proposed hike. Unless other county board committee members push for approval, it will not come before the full board this month. I will continue to oppose this.

Above statement is from FACEBOOK

Boone County opposes GLB RR

Jim Dayton

Illinois county votes to oppose proposed railroad

Thursday, June 30, 2016

 

 

BELVIDERE, ILL.--Boone County, Illinois, has joined six other counties in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin in opposing the proposed Great Lakes Basin Railroad, according to the Rockford Register Star.

The county board's resolution, approved during a special meeting Wednesday, says the proposed line “would cut across prime farmland in Boone County.”

Great Lakes Basin Transportation wants to build a 275-mile railroad line that would begin near Milton, run south around Chicago and connect to La Porte, Indiana. The project would “expedite freight movements across the nation and … provide additional capacity for growing railroad traffic,” according to the company's website.

Boone County joins Wisconsin's Rock County, Indiana's Lake and Porter counties and Illinois counties Grundy, LaSalle and Lee in opposition to the rail line. Three counties in Illinois and one in Indiana along the proposed route have so far taken no action.

Above is from:  http://www.gazettextra.com/20160630/illinois_county_votes_to_oppose_proposed_railroad

 

Bill Brietsprecher questions Newhouse’s anti-GLB RR position

Email from June 30.  Mr. Brietsprecher has circulated numbers anti-GLB RR articles and other submissions

Julie Newhouse & Illinois Farm Bureau recently released a statement on
eminent domain -- it does have some important stuff, BUT do not count on
her or the bureau as meaningful allies.
Boone County Chair Bob Walberg, according to good sources I have, is who
brought Frank Patton's GLBT RR over from Winnebago as proposed earlier.
While some say it is the Sugar River and wetlands that created this move,
this is not true.  There is no real difference between wetlands on the
west edge of Winnebago and the east edge of Boone and it is laughable to
state otherwise.  I am sourcing this story and will publish if we print an
August Greal Lakes Basin Rail: News & Views.
Julie Newhouse is tight with Walberg -- she has repeatedely insisted
directly to me that Walberg is against GLBT!  That is a lie, she knows it,
and you know it too.  Walberg, at advise from his attorney, abstained from
voting -- but he jacked the resolution around for many weeks and even
tried to prevent Toria Funderberg from speaking last night.
I met Walberg in April and it was clear to me he was going to do what he
could to promote GLBT.  The only reason his attorney would tell him to
abstain from voting on anything is because he has a serious conflict of
interest which potentially would make it criminal (Remember, he invited
GLBT to Boone and said he could get the county to approve).
Walberg and the Newhouse families own lots of land and will make fortunes
selling out to Patton at a premium (probably MORE than $20,000 per acre),
which would help GLBT buy the rest of the property for minimal market
value -- probably no more than $5,000 per acre.
Julie Newhouse is not on our side and, like Walberg, will play a game to
appear to be listening to us while undermining our work.  The Farm Bureau
directly told me in April that they would take no stand on GLBT and would
support it under certain conditions.
I have seen people promoting a recent eminent domain article by the Farm
Bureau -- it is not actually helpful and it will be a mistake to think
that they will do anything meaningful to stop GLBT.  Newhouse is a board
member and there is too much money to make selling less-powerful people
out.
If we do not stand together, GLBT will be built, not to reroute 25% of
Chicago's through rail freight, but to get the most hazardous and
dangerous carloads out of Chicago Metro and through YOUR community.  This
will also allow the rest of the rail & oil industry to massively increase
crude-by-rail shipments.
Currently, no Class 1 carrier will admit this -- they cannot, because if
there was a rail accident in Chicago Metro, they would be held responsible
for shipping hazardous materials through a corridor they knew and
acknowledged is unsafe and dangerous to tens-of-thousands.
If GLBT is built, they may start routing crude along Patton's line and
will have no choice if that is what the crude oil shippers demand.  If
GLBT develops tank farms and a refinery in the excessive 25 square mile
rail port by Kankakee, all crude coming to that would have to come through
your community as well.
Do not count on the Farm Bureau!
Bill Breitsprecher
608.556.2062

By Adam Poulisse
Staff writer

Posted Jun. 29, 2016 at 10:32 PM

BELVIDERE — Eleven of 12 Boone County Board members tonight approved a resolution that states the community's opposition to the proposed Great Lakes Basin Railroad.

Board Chairman Bob Walberg abstained.

After the meeting, Boone County Board member Cathy Ward posted on her Facebook page:

"Finally. It took months to get our board to approve this resolution, but thanks to all of you who stood your ground for all of us. It helps a lot to have people come to our meetings. You do make a difference."

The one-page resolution states that the $8 billion, 275-mile rail line slated to cut through Boone and several other counties in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana would "cut across prime farmland in Boone County." The railroad route was proposed to provide quicker freight rail surface and bypass Chicago.

"Farmland preservation is the focal point of the Boone County Comprehensive Plan, which includes strategies and goals to protect nonrenewable farmland and natural resources ..." the resolution reads.

The resolution will be sent to the U.S. Transportation Board along with a three-page letter from the county, which outlines objections to the project in such areas as land loss, safety, water quality, geology and soils, noise and insurance costs. The letter was approved during a County Board meeting May 18.

Ward said the resolution was crafted because "the state's attorney told us it is a more formal letter of opposition."

With the resolution, Boone County has followed suit with LaSalle County, Illinois, and Lake County, Indiana, two other potentially affected communities that have drafted resolutions.

Rock County Board last month also approved an official resolution stating the 200-foot wide rail corridor would remove 570 acres of prime farmland, and would result in a $608,615 annual loss of agricultural production.

Staff writer Chris Green contributed to this report.

Adam Poulisse: 815-987-1344; apoulisse@rrstar.com; @adampoulisse

Above is from:  http://www.rrstar.com/news/20160629/boone-county-board-oks-resolution-against-railroad

 

Would the vote have been 11-0-1 without the huge crowd?

Cathy Ward

June 29 at 9:05pm ·

TRAIN TALKS - 11 of the 12 Boone County Board members voted tonight (Wednesday) to send a resolution to the feds saying we OPPOSE the proprosed freight train in our county. Chair Bob Walberg abstained. Boone County resident Toria Funderberg read a detailed statement of why this train is a bad idea for our county and suggested strongly that board members who have supported the train or have tried to stop discussion to this resolution should resign from the board. The board roo...m was full. Walberg tried to stop Toria's statement, but the crowd urged her on and she received loud applause after her strong statement. Finally. It took months to get our board to approve this resolution or even be allowed to discuss it, but thanks to all of you who stood your ground for all of us. It helps a lot to have people come to our meetings. You do make a difference.

Green Bay area study on low frequency sound from wind turbines?

 

Shirley Wind Farm opponents see ray of hope

Doug Schneider, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin 8:35 p.m. CDT July 3, 2016

A group of Brown County lawmakers has given initial approval for items sought by Shirley-area residents who say low-frequency sound from the farm's eight turbines is making them sick

Buy Photo

The Brown County Health Board declared the Shirley Wind Farm operated by Duke Energy Renewables poses a health risk to its neighbors in the Town of Glenmore, which is in the southern part of the county. (Photo: USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)Buy Photo

GREEN BAY - It wasn't the definitive answer they were looking for, but people concerned about potential health impacts from the Shirley Wind Farm have been given a glimmer of hope.

A group of Brown County lawmakers has given initial approval for items sought by Shirley-area residents who say low-frequency sound from the farm's eight turbines is making them sick. The committee is recommending the county seek an independent review of findings saying insufficient evidence exists to link the turbines to health problems, and that the county consult the state attorney general to clarify its rights in the matter.

"There are concerns that our Health Department doesn't properly investigate the windmills," said Guy Zima, who with fellow Supervisor Patrick Evans is pushing for the county to be more aggressive in assessing the potential health impacts of the wind farm. He likened living near the turbines, for some, to "Chinese water torture."

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Guy Zima, District 9 Green Bay City Council meeting at City Hall in downtown Green Bay on Tuesday, April 19, 2016. (Photo: Evan Siegle/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin)

Zima suggested forming committees, holding hearings and buying additional equipment for the health department as ways the county could better address Shirley-area residents' concerns.

Some people in the Shirley area, though, believe the county should do more than Zima is suggesting.

They insist that the county board should reject a December ruling by then-Health Director Chua Xiong that there is insufficient evidence to link the turbines and illnesses, alleging that it could have negative impacts well beyond the county's borders. They say Xiong didn't follow scientific protocols and delegated two much research work to an assistant they say wasn't qualified to do the work.

"The consequences of this are are not just benign. And they are global," said Jim Vanden Boogart, who heads a citizens' group calling for more regulation of the turbines. "Wind developers are taking the decision by Chua Xiong and using it … Brown County's Health Department is going to be personally responsible for harm to public health across the globe."

Some people living near the wind farm have complained of sleep problems, headaches, nausea and irritability and other issues they say are caused by the turbines and low-frequency sound, or infrasound, they emit. The farm's operator, Duke Energy Renewables, points to studies saying there is no clear link between turbines and the health issues claimed by people who live near them.

Xiong resigned in March to take another job. Since her ruling, the county has discussed several options, amid debate about what to do next. Lawmakers in February discussed a proposed task force devoted to wind-farm issues — but saw the idea withdrawn a week after it was introduced.

A recommendation by the county's Human Services Committee last week means the wind issue will next be considered by a second committee — Administration — which will consider whether the county should bring in an independent reviewer to examine Xiong's ruling. Human Services, meanwhile, will give the issue further consideration when it meets again in late July.

At issue now is how much authority a group of lay supervisors might have to reject the ruling of a health professional. While several supervisors have indicated they'd like to overturn Xiong's conclusion, doing so might open up another can of worms, one of their colleagues warned.

"You should defer this to next month and get a legal opinion … as to what you can and cannot do," Supervisor John Van Dyck said. "if you just look at this from a view that is one-sided, then the conclusion you draw is going to be called into question."

The issue has even divided members of the county Board of Health, a panel that previously had labeled the turbines "a human health hazard." Board Chairman Jay Tibbetts, a retired physician, said last week that Xiong's ruling must be overturned.

"I don’t believe this was done right, so it's important that it cannot stand," he said. "It’s going to harm people all over the place. It’s going to harm people."

But new board member Jim Crawford said Xiong's ruling was "a wise decision."

"To reverse her decision would be a step back to the voodoo of the Middle Ages," Crawford said. "The medical community does not support the infrasound theory. Neither should Brown County."

Duke bought the wind farm in 2011. Electricity produced at Shirley, which can power an estimated 6,000 homes, is sold to Wisconsin Public Service Co.

dschneid@greenbaypressgazette.com and follow him on Twitter @PGDougSchneider

above is from:  http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2016/07/03/shirley-wind-farm-opponents-see-ray-hope/86490066/