Railroad cargo fee needed

Click title for story link. Article Launched: 10/05/2008 12:28:28 AM PDT The representative from BNSF at the community meeting held at San Bernardino's City Hall on Oct. 1 did little to lower my concerns about the railroad's commitment to lowering the health risks to residents living close to its San Bernardino rail yards. Studies presented by California's Air Resources Board showed that the air around our yards is the worst in the state. Residents in the vicinity of the yards have 17 times higher risk of cancer than residents near the Union Pacific yards in Colton. The BNSF representative repeatedly stated there was only $7 million available to remedy the contamination produced from train and truck diesel engines. The representative indicated that it would take $3-plus million of those funds to construct more entry gates to the yards so incoming diesel trucks would not have to idle for long periods at the few points presently available. Little would be left for immediately acquiring newer, more efficient engine technology.