Join The Fight Against The “Coal Train” Redwood Coast Democrats Bring the Invitation
At the request of State Senator Mike McGuire, Redwood Coast Democrats recently drafted a resolution entitled "Resolution Opposing Shipping Coal by Train through California's North Coast", in opposition to the proposed “Coal Train” currently under consideration by the Surface Transportation Board, a federal agency that is charged with the economic regulation of various modes of land transportation.
The resolution was unanimously approved by the RCD membership and sent to McGuire’s office for inclusion in a package of similar resolutions being submitted from Democratic Central Committees and Clubs in Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin Counties.
The entity behind the "Coal Train" proposes to refurbish existing, unused railways to bring coal from Wyoming to the Bay Area, then up through the north coast region to Humboldt where it would be shipped to Asia.
It is being pushed by an anonymous corporation called the North Coast Railroad Company, which appears to have been created specifically for this project
The railroad right of way is governed by a law that gives extraordinary approval powers to the Surface Transportation Board, currently staffed by a number of Trump appointees
If approved, this heinous proposal would allow the North Coast Railroad Company to seek a loan to activate the old tracks that are currently a part of Governor Newsom's recently created Great Redwood Trail and would move 800 cars of air, water and ground-polluting coal through Northern California each day.
Senator McGuire's staff is collecting these resolutions and giving them to Congressmen Jared Huffman and Mike Thompson to present to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and to the Surface Transportation Board.
This effort is to demonstrate that there is ZERO tolerance or support for the “Coal Train” proposal on the North Coast.
In addition to the groups opposing the “Coal Train”, all citizens of the affected regions are urged to add their voice in opposition too by calling their Congressional Representatives or their State Senator. If you would like to help Redwood Coast Democrats in this effort, you can join the club by visiting their website at redwoodcoastdemocrats.org and clicking on JOIN.
Image credit: Ben Scherjonb from Pixabay.
