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BNSF mulls killing LA intermodal yard in the face of eco court ruling
THE Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway's (BNSF) Southern California International Gateway project, may well be scrapped following a court ruling declaring that the plan did not meet California's environmental standards.
California Superior Court Judge Barry Good ruled that an environmental review of a proposed rail yard was inadequate, putting the project on hold. Long Beach was joined by eco lobbies saying the plan did not comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.
"This decision sends a clear signal that business isn't welcome, regardless of how green it will be or how it will support the regional and state economy," said BNSF vice president Steve Bob.
"It sets a chilling precedent for not only the rail industry, but the entire goods movement sector, which employs more than a million Californians," he said.
The Fort Worth Class I railway spent eight years on the its environmental review, which included a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Recirculated Draft EIR and Final EIR totalling more than 5,000 pages and an administrative record of more than 200,000 pages.
The Port of Los Angeles must now complete a new report that "identifies ways to reduce the project's environmental impacts", said Long Beach city attorney Charles Parkin.
But the railway's Mr Bob said: "After a thorough review, BNSF is troubled by what the decision represents and uncertain whether to move forward with the project.
"We will confer with Port of Los Angeles officials, but it is not clear whether or how the project could be built under the framework set by the decision," he said.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based Class I railway spent eight years on the SCIG environmental review, which included a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Recirculated Draft EIR and Final EIR totalling more than 5,000 pages and an administrative record of more than 200,000 pages.
With the courts approval, BNSF would have invested $500 million in the regional economy with this facility, including $100 million in green technologies such as electric cranes, ultra-low emission locomotives and solar energy.
The company also made significant changes to the project's design and operations in direct response to community feedback, and committed to allow only clean trucks on designated industrial routes with GPS tracking, support zero or near-zero emissions technologies, a soundwall, intensive landscaping, a local jobs training programme and priority hiring for new jobs to qualified local job applicants.
"It's notable that this ruling came just before California's legislature voted to enact the highest minimum wage in the country, since SCIG would provide family-wage jobs with a solid career path," said Mr Bob.
California Superior Court Judge Barry Good ruled that an environmental review of a proposed rail yard was inadequate, putting the project on hold. Long Beach was joined by eco lobbies saying the plan did not comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.
"This decision sends a clear signal that business isn't welcome, regardless of how green it will be or how it will support the regional and state economy," said BNSF vice president Steve Bob.
"It sets a chilling precedent for not only the rail industry, but the entire goods movement sector, which employs more than a million Californians," he said.
The Fort Worth Class I railway spent eight years on the its environmental review, which included a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Recirculated Draft EIR and Final EIR totalling more than 5,000 pages and an administrative record of more than 200,000 pages.
The Port of Los Angeles must now complete a new report that "identifies ways to reduce the project's environmental impacts", said Long Beach city attorney Charles Parkin.
But the railway's Mr Bob said: "After a thorough review, BNSF is troubled by what the decision represents and uncertain whether to move forward with the project.
"We will confer with Port of Los Angeles officials, but it is not clear whether or how the project could be built under the framework set by the decision," he said.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based Class I railway spent eight years on the SCIG environmental review, which included a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR), Recirculated Draft EIR and Final EIR totalling more than 5,000 pages and an administrative record of more than 200,000 pages.
With the courts approval, BNSF would have invested $500 million in the regional economy with this facility, including $100 million in green technologies such as electric cranes, ultra-low emission locomotives and solar energy.
The company also made significant changes to the project's design and operations in direct response to community feedback, and committed to allow only clean trucks on designated industrial routes with GPS tracking, support zero or near-zero emissions technologies, a soundwall, intensive landscaping, a local jobs training programme and priority hiring for new jobs to qualified local job applicants.
"It's notable that this ruling came just before California's legislature voted to enact the highest minimum wage in the country, since SCIG would provide family-wage jobs with a solid career path," said Mr Bob.
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