Concerned about trains

As a Spokane resident living less than a mile and a half from downtown, I’m very concerned about the number of coal and oil trains that pass through the heart of our city every day. A derailment or spill would have serious, likely catastrophic results, posing hazards to our health, possible aquifer and river contamination, fire, destruction of property, chaos.

Spokane’s two primary hospitals are within a mile of the tracks. What happens if they are out of commission or compromised? The trains pass over the Spokane River. A spill directly into the river would be disastrous.

Even without such an event, health professionals alert us to the hazards of coal dust, especially for those with restricted lung capacity and functioning. As citizens, we bear all the risks from blowing coal dust, and exploding oil trains.

Charging the oil and coal shippers a fee per crude oil tanker and coal car (Proposition 2) that traverses our city seems fair given the numerous spills that have already occurred, including near Mosier, Oregon, in June 2016, due to poorly maintained tracks. Oil trains put extra stress on the rails due to their tremendous weight and the side load resulting from oil sloshing.

Carolyn Holmes

Spokane