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Court orders new environmental review for Tongue River Railroad
One division of the federal system calling out the other as a knucklehead, which reminds me of the ongoing disputes between the FAA and the Safety Board which are more nuanced…conflict, what conflict? In this one, a MIA cogent energy policy that goes one way or another is a roll of the dice, but then energy policy? What energy policy? More ad hoc signal noise to add to a war of words.
Notice who is behind this decision - the 9th Circuit Court. They are the biggest drag on economic activity in the western US. It appears that the court has been stacked by the environmental religion.
Death by regulation, it seems that the Federal Government and this Adminastration in particular are so anti-coal that they are willing to do almost anything to keep any coal mine or any railroad from developing new resources and expanding.
Death by regulation, it seems that the Federal Government and this Adminastration in particular are so anti-coal that they are willing to do almost anything to keep any coal mine or any railroad from developing new resources and expanding.
“Further, the court ruled the board would need to consider environmental impacts from the coal mines that the railroad would enable to open and prosper.”
This is environmentalism using the hand of the courts to stiffle capitalism. Why not go a step further and consider the power plants that the coal mines would enable to open and prosper? Idiocy plain and simple.
We will never have any manufacturing or constuction jobs in America again. After all if we build or contruct anything, we will damage the envirment.
The 9th Circuit Court of A******s strikes again!
High Energy Prices? Lawyers are the cause – energy companies get the blame.
All of this environmental evaluation stems from the power struggle between environmentalists and the timber industry in the Pacific Northwest. What evolved was a non-sustainable plan to save the forest ecosystems, which are now devastated by fire. Decisions are made on the basis of power, not on rationale. This applies to virtually all aspects of our lives.
Why would a union be against this?
No rational student of the Country’s current economic situation could actually believe that opening additional sources of energy or making these same energy sources more economical carries anything but potential benefit. Sure looks like someone or some institution has been bought.
Perhaps someone can explain to me how a railroad is resposible for coal mines that “might open”? Will the railroad be transporting methane? “The STB didn’t dig deep enough”, I’m sure there’s a worm, or lame-duck that will be inconvienced by the trains going by. Folks, we’re off a cliff and the rocks are comn’ up fast! Thelma and Louise, we’re right behind you!
oh please now! no memory here? long history in the usa of mineral extraction leaving as many future costs as possible for someone other than those that benefit from that extraction.
energy policy?? no memory there either. jimmy carter was roasted and beaten with a stick for the suggestion of NEP (national energy policy) over thirty years ago. look it up! see who was against any policy then. who has been running the country most the years since then? i’ve been around since truman and for twenty five years after he was president all i heard of him was derision of his presidency. maybe the folks that have the best press when they are running the place are the worse in the long run.
i’d love to see more rail and i have driven near both proposed ends of this railroad. we do need to be sure that the future does not contain the mountians of unpaid problems that were left by some of the extrators of the past.
Nice to see this site is dominated by ignorant, bone head, okies & hicks! Ever consider your children or grand childrens future & health? Coal is the nastiest & dirtiest energy source we use, I hope your children & grandkids suffer from the effects of coal dust & mercury poisoning. It isn’t pretty, get a clue & ck. your facts, or are you lame republicans brain washed by republican lies & propaganda?
It seems to me that if the impact of the coal mines, methane extraction, etc. needs to be evaluated – and it probably does – it should be evaluated on its own. I do not see how it is the responsibility of the STB to study these tangentials. Bad logic, 9th Court.
What the opponents really want is to kill the mines; they should be fighting them directly instead of the end-run of killing the railroad, but I suppose it’s easier to fight a railroad than a mine.
These “green” idealogues either do not know or do not care about the loss of business and jobs such redundant “studies” (aka delays) cause.
This is the Obama regime run amoke, just like the delays in permitting drilling in the Gulf, too much government power in the name of protecting the environment.
Despite their rhetoric at times, these types do not care about unemployment, reasonable energy rates, or our economy. Some amy care about the environment, but all care about the GOVERNMENT CONTROL which is taking over more areas of our lives, and killing our economy and American initiaive and entrepreneur endeavors, and definitely raising the cost of living for all Americans.
The opinion (NORTHERN PLAINS RESOURCE v. TONGUE RIVER RR 21423) was written by Judge Milan D. Smith, Jr. and was argued before him and Alfred T. Goodwin, Harry Pregerson. They were appointed to the Board by Presidents Bush (the second), Nixon, and Carter, respectively. The opinion is based upon the courts interpretation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which was signed into law on Jan 1, 1970 by President Richard Nixon. The opinion is available in its entirety at http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2011/12/29/97-70037.pdf. It is doubtful the current administration had any significant bearing on the decision of the court.