[Winona Online Democracy]
Mark
I am a bit surprised that this issue (DM&E) has not been mentioned here in
many weeks. The original DEIS comment deadline came and went in January. The
Governor, at the prompting of a group of State Agencies preparing DEIS
comments, requested and received 60 day extension of the DEIS comment period
from the Surface Transportation Board - to early March, 2001.
One of the DEIS issues that remains unresolved by the State agencies is the
impact of the DM&E proposal on Winona, which became part of the reason for
requesting the extended DEIS comment period. It seems that the DM&E simply
ignored Winona in both the original (1998) STB filings; and, then in the
later DEIS. A cynic (such as I tend to be) might say that this was deliberate
strategy. In response to the question of "why" the Winona exclusion, the only
response so far from DM&E attorneys has been that, technically, the DM&E line
ends just short of Winona. Pretty lame in my view!
The impacts of the DM&E proposal on Winona could be significant. If you read
through the 1998 STB filings, you will see a coal transportation marketing
plan and railroad operating scenario that really makes one wonder how they
could simply ignore potential impacts on Winona.
Your friends at 4th and Center have been communicating with MnDOT on this
matter for some time now. Perhaps they can better update you regarding of the
specifics of DM&E/Winona.
Chuck Dillerud
Champlin, MN
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