Nearly 200 people turned out to a hearing on Sept. 6 at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles to oppose an application by Union Pacific that would expand a railroad track around Mosier, OR. Except for brief statement by Union Pacific, every person that testified opposed the project, expressing concerns about increases in dangerous oil train traffic, congestion, and impacts to scenic, cultural and recreational resources of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Elected officials from throughout the Gorge attended, including representatives from Stevenson, Hood River, Mosier, Mosier Fire Department, Cascade Locks, Wasco County School Board, and more. At a rally prior to the hearing the mayors of Mosier, The Dalles, and Hood River (Arlene Burns, Steve Lawrence, and Paul Blackburn, respectively) joined together in expressing opposition and concerns over Union Pacific’s application for rail expansion and the negative impacts it would have on their communities.
“This is a crucial decision for not only our community, but for all communities along the tracks. Mosier came very close to being lost on June 3, and we cannot endorse any infrastructure expansion that would lead to even more crude oil or coal trains through our communities and the National Scenic Area,” said Mosier Mayor Arlene Burns.
The Wasco County Planning staff released their summary days prior to the hearing, recommending approval of the project with conditions, including limiting the number of trains and covering coal cars. But the overwhelming message at today’s hearing was a call for outright denial of the application. Read staff summary
Kevin Gorman, Executive Director of Friends of the Columbia Gorge testified, saying “The Columbia Gorge is a national scenic treasure protected by the National Scenic Act. The purposes of this act are to protect the environment and economy of the Gorge and Union Pacific’s rail expansion proposal fails to meet both purposes of the National Scenic Act and must be denied.”
Rail traffic experts issued a report earlier this month finding that Union Pacific Railroad’s proposed rail expansion in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area would result in a massive expansion in the number of trains that could travel through Mosier and would not provide the health and safety benefits touted by the railroad. Due to its location, small improvements to the railroad infrastructure through Mosier could have tremendous ripple effects throughout Wasco County and the Pacific Northwest, including a potential increase of rail capacity from the current 30 to 48 trains per day up to 75 to 100 trains per day. The report was produced by Terry Whiteside of Whiteside and Associates based in Billings, MT, and G.W. Fauth & Associates based in Alexandria, VA. Read report
The City of Mosier is still recovering from the Union Pacific oil train derailment, spill and fire on June 3 that leaked over 40,000 gallons of crude oil and contaminated groundwater in the small town. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released a report in June finding that Union Pacific was at fault for the accident because it failed to follow safety and rail inspection requirements. Nationally, Union Pacific has a poor safety record and has more accidents and equipment failures than the industry average.
Read the FRA’s preliminary factual findings report on the Mosier derailment, as well as the agency’s safety analyses of UP and all railroads, respectively.