Environmental groups ask NJ Transit to probe pollution in Lackawanna Cutoff rail bed

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/0 ... nj_tr.html

By Philip Read/The Star-Ledger
January 13, 2010, 7:53PM

Two statewide environmental coalitions are warning that soil under the rail bed of the proposed Lackawanna Cutoff line in Morris, Sussex and Warren counties could be filled with carcinogens and want NJ Transit to investigate that possibility.

But NJ Transit officials contended there is no such evidence.

The Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions and New Jersey Highlands Coalition jointly warned yesterday a host of toxic compounds, possibly the result of decades of coal burning engines on that line, could be unearthed if construction proceeds.

David Peifer, Highlands project director for the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, said coal burning from train engines may have left behind toxic materials, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are known carcinogens. He contended the soil under the rail beds is filled with coal ash, cinders and lead.

lackawanna-cutoff-contamination-njtransit.JPGMATT RAINEY/THE STAR-LEDGERThe Hainseburg Viaduct crosses the Paulinskill River in Hainseburg in a 2007 photo. The Lackawanna Cutoff includes the huge viaduct in Warren County, as well as various tunnels in Sussex and Warren.

Construction could unearth dangerous compounds in a rail bed mostly undisturbed for more than three decades, since trains last ran on the line, environmentalists said.

“The public needs to know that this project will be safe and will not threaten the health of anyone living nearby. For all the public investment in this project, they need to make sure it won’t make us sick,â€

This is amazing. The pollution from all the cars that would be taken off the road from a single day of running this rail line would FAR overpower any pollution released from laying new rail on this currently abandoned rail line.

Miner Greg

naw, keep it shut down, just what we need more city folk and ........... you can fill in the blank with just about anything, in scranton.

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Hate to tell them There point or contention is mute. the enviromental impact study has been completed and approved. Part of the study was toxic contamination on the proposed restoration route. OK and lets say that contamination is there. its been there all these years. and has effected no one. More harm would be caused in trying to remove it. The residents of Throop wanted contaminated soil from a former land fill filled with battery casings removed. ( Yes Im agreeing with DEP on this one gulp) DEP's position was the contamination would be spread if the removal was permitted. So instead the landfill is being capped with concrete and monitored. BUT some people like to stick there noses where it doesnt belong. And gee whats more harmfull ? The contaminated soil thats been there for 40 plus years. Or the trafffic on interstate 80 ??? These enviromentalists want it all !!!!!!!!!!!! So add to the list. Sit in the dark and freeze....... And now NOT be able to travel !!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is going to be interesting. the green;s want the train to cur pollution from automobiles. And now a sub group doesnt ?? ( if the sub group got there way the cut off restoration would definately be DEAD !!)

The city folk are already there, just they fill up my highways with traffic...

I hate to say it, but the majority of coal and ash pollution would have taken place when they cleaned the firebox. This is certainly something they wouldn't do while the locomotive was in motion and or in the middle of an active rail line such as the cutoff! The only real concern would have been from any cinders that flew out of the locomotive. Additionally, the trestles are not being rebuilt, they are most likely just adding new fill and ballast on top and retracking it. Thus any cinders currently present in the rail line would remain frozen in place.

It seems like any excuse to halt progress. It is amazing.

I hope you all don't mind, I took your points and put them into an email and sent it to both groups causing the commotion. Here's the message I sent.

Before you continue to cause problems for a project that has been delayed many times than can be counted, please look at views others have. The majority of coal and ash pollution would have taken place when they cleaned the firebox. This is certainly something they wouldn't do while the locomotive was in motion and or in the middle of an active rail line such as the cutoff. Additionally, the trestles are not being rebuilt, they are most likely just adding new fill and ballast on top and re-tracking it. Thus any ash pollution currently present in the rail line would remain frozen in place. More harm would be caused in trying to remove it, exposing it to the air where the wind would spread it around. Also, the pollution from all the cars that would be taken off the road from a single day of running this rail line would FAR overpower any pollution released from laying new rail on this currently abandoned rail line.!Please stop harassing a project that is needed and has been eagerly awaited. This project, first proposed in 1979, has enough financial problems without more resources wasted on additional environmental studies when the environmental impact study has been completed and approved.


Thank you,

Eric Saresky


If anyone else would like to send your thought, here are the email addresses for the two groups.

info@anjec.org and info@njhighlandscoalition.org

well written letter eric...... wonder if it will help?

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I doubt it.

They have been talking about 150 miles of new Interstate in SW Indiana for a couple of decades. While it looks like it will go through, it is amazing the amount of protest. Some of it is understandable, but a large portion is coming, being backed or funded by out of state interest,

They just don't want anything built, disturbed etc. As long as they have the big city to operate from.

Check out the groups raising the ruckus and see where they are getting their funding.

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During the mid 90's I did a research paper for my economics class. It dealt with the restoration of the Lackawanna cutoff. I interviewed larry Malski ( great guy,good friend). of the then lackawanna county railroad authority, now Lackawanna & Monroe county. At that time it cost 47 million for one interstate interchange ( ie. off and on ramp interchange) And one million for each mile of rail bed to be constructed. For each interchange you could lay 47 miles of rail. Im sure the figures have risin dramatically over the years. But Im sure the ratio has remained the same. Then factor in the fuel efficency of rail over personel automobiles or tractor trailers. Also factor in the pollution factor, and related health and quality of life issues . Rail weather its freight or people you get the most bang for your buck from rail. I dont think this is really an enviromental group effort. But rather a bunch of NIMBY's ( Not In My Back Yard) disguising themselves as enviromentalists !! the serious effort to restore the cutoff began in the mid 80's( I was a teenager) when the rail authority was formed. I always thought id see it in my life time. Now with all the effort against it, Im not so sure anymore. Untill the country as a whole rewrites our transportation/energy policies. Projects like this will linger undone for years to come. The federal goverment has always favored hi ways over rail when it came to funding. That hasnt changed in 40 years. That also goes for the coal industry for the most part. To drill a well as is being done in our area now, is far easier ( red tape) than opening a mine.

Let's be realistic, even if there were contaminants in the roadbed (which I believe would be trivial), what good would stirring up the roadbed do to find and remove them? How else do you "investigate that possibility?" Let's face it, this project is moving forward regardless. Assuming these coalitions had any influence, you can't seriously expect that an already existing roadbed of this magnitude would forever be designated a "rail trail".

If you removed these "contaminants", where exactly will you put them? The environmental impact of removing this much supposedly contaminated earth would be astronomical. And after all is said and done, what happens to the roadbed -- we still need rail transit across the state, the population is not getting smaller and there will be more and more cars coming to the highways in the future. Mass transit is far better than congested and dangerous polluting highways. Reactivating the Lackawanna Cutoff is one of the greenest solutions there is.

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Back in the late 90's, I had a friend that worked for the now closed Mikon Waste. One of their specialties was hauling contaminated waste. I went with him on several trips to Delaware where a large incinerator dedicated for just contaminates is located. This place has covered & uncovered areas with concrete dividers separating different TYPES of contaminates where you dump your load. Lots of paperwork for your load too. The stuff that came out was an off- white colored ash that went to the landfill as it's now considered NON-TOXIC!!