TRAINS: Bridge to disaster

It’s summer. Let’s reflect on our wonderful lakes and rivers. Spending happy days fishing, swimming, water skiing and on our clear, clean waters.

Imagine an oil slick the size of Sandpoint floating down the river. Dead fish, oil on; birds, shoreline, boats, docks, and in our drinking water.

Just imagine the catastrophe from the Cocolalla train derailment if it had been 25 oil cars instead of corn. The whole valley would be ruined, the creek into Cocolalla Lake would have been fouled, as would all the river to Pend Oreille and beyond. The derailment left twisted, ripped, flattened, crushed and mangled metal. Nothing but carnage and corn piles. Imagine oil cars. It was a prelude.

Can’t or won’t happen? Yet, there are at least eight trains carrying crude oil, and eight trains carrying coal EVERY day and night, alongside and over our rivers and lakes.

BNSF wants to build another rail bridge over Lake Pend Oreille. Their rationale is to relieve congestion. I am no rocket scientist, but know the number of trains will increase, and the odds for a derailment. Already test holes have been drilled.

We’re told we use oil so it’s necessary. Bad argument. The oil and coal ALL go overseas. We would suffer the ruination of our clear waters, for what? Corporate greed. We must stop the bridge.

Want to help? Go to http://www.idahoconservation.org/blog/second-railroad-bridge-proposal-across-lake-pend-oreille/.

SUE KOLLER

Cocolalla