Rep. Ron Kind Statement on the Walker Administration's Rushed Approval of Rail Expansion

La Crosse, WI – U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) made the following statement after Governor Scott Walker’s Department of Natural Resources issued permits to BNSF Railway for their planned rail expansion in the La Crosse River Marsh without the guidance of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS):

“It’s irresponsible to rush forward like this when so much is at stake. The amount of oil being shipped through Wisconsin is skyrocketing, along with the risk of derailments and spills that could endanger our natural resources and local neighborhoods. Considering the train derailment outside of Dubuque, Iowa last week that resulted in an unknown amount of ethanol spilling into the Mississippi River, it is clear that the need for proper environmental review of this planned track expansion is critical to protecting our wetlands and communities.

“We don’t know how this expansion will affect wildlife, flood drainage, and navigation in the La Crosse River Marsh and Mississippi River wetlands. When making a decision that’s this important, it’s just Wisconsin common sense that you take your time and consult with experts to learn all the facts.

“Gov. Walker and his administration seem determined to push this through. But I will continue to fight for rail safety by enhancing track inspections, upgrading train tracks, and increasing transparency so the public knows what’s being transported on our rails.”

BACKGROUND
Last month, Rep. Kind and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) sent letters to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers requesting that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be conducted ahead of the BNSF Railway’s planned track expansion through the City of La Crosse and along the La Crosse River Marsh. In both letters, they described the high quality of life and economic boost that the La Crosse River Marsh and the Mississippi River provide, and urged that all potential environmental impacts of the proposed rail expansion be fully understood before a decision was made.