CONTACT: Council President Jon Snyder (509) 625-6255
The Spokane City Council unanimously approved a resolution requesting further study of the effects of coal train travel through the City of Spokane during their June 18 meeting.
The resolution requests that the potential impacts of the trains to Spokane’s public health, safety, economy, traffic, and air quality be included as a part of the project’s Environmental Impact Study (EIS) and that a hearing be scheduled in Spokane pertaining to any project in the Northwest that may cause significant increases in rail traffic traveling through Spokane.
“This resolution was a result of hard work on the part of the entire Council to find common ground on an issue that affects every citizen of Spokane,” says Council President Ben Stuckart. “We understand that some may not want the citizens of Spokane to understand the impacts of the potential addition of 80 trains a day to our infrastructure and health, but we want to be included in that process.”
Spokane County is the major rail crossroad in the Inland Northwest and would be the entry point for all coal coming into Washington from Montana and Wyoming. Council stated concerns related to an increase in rail traffic traversing Spokane County, including concerns about public safety and the impacts on the quality of life. Specific concerns include increased exposure to diesel particulate emissions, noise pollution, coal dust, delays in vehicular traffic, as well as potential delays in emergency medical transport.
