OPINION — The residents of western Maricopa County should be outraged.
Supervisor Debbie Lesko and the other four members of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors recently voted against a plan that would have paved the way for a giant and dangerous Burlington Northern Santa Fe rail hub in Wittmann.
Rather than face reality and accept the board’s decision, BNSF is looking for loopholes and has decided to move ahead, arrogantly claiming that elected leaders didn’t reject this outrageous proposal, but rather the board failed to “correct a mapping error.” This sort of spin puts the BS in BNSF.
The 4,300-acre project would be the largest facility of its kind in the nation. It would move toxic substances, flammable liquids and explosive gases through our county on a level that’s hard to fathom.
Not a single person reading this would want to live next to this behemoth, nor would anyone at BNSF. Yet, they want to force us to do so along with our friends and neighbors in Wickenburg, Surprise, Sun City, Sun City West, Peoria and other environs.
To date, BNSF has articulated no plan for hazardous waste spills or catastrophes even though the local firefighting system is not equipped to handle such massive disasters.
The facility would deplete groundwater supplies, strain public safety services and create traffic jams.
Despite these negatives, BNSF apparently persists. Sadly, the Northwest Valley Chamber of Commerce endorsed this disastrous proposal, which drew this response from the Sun City West Property Owners and Residents Association:
“This BNSF project is being built in a location that is already overcrowded with traffic issues. Why would you support an increase in traffic that will immediately result in gridlock on our roads as soon as it starts?”
It is unknown whether BNSF paid the chamber for its endorsement.
PORA, the city of Surprise and Nadaburg School District have all formally opposed this plan. It is our hope that more communities join this important chorus of the concerned.
If something this outrageous can happen to us, you’re next. Nobody wants that.
More of our leaders need to get this message and formally oppose this rail hub. The same goes for the Northwest Valley Chamber.
Nobody wins when our water is depleted, our highways are overcrowded, our environment is devastated and our way of life is destroyed by a project that should go elsewhere, just like the Palo Verde Nuclear Station was once sited far away from residents.
If you feel passionate about this issue, share that passion with the people who want your vote. And thank you again to Supervisor Lesko for standing with her people over the powerful. You have even greater respect and more friends for life, as we all fight for our quality of life severely threatened by BNSF.
Kirby Anderson is a Wittmann rancher and leader of the opposition group Save Arizona Cowboy Culture. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
BNSF,
rail hub,
Debbie Lesko,
Maricopa County Board of Supervisors,
opposition,
Northwest Valley Chamber,
PORA,
city of Surprise,
Nadaburg School District,
Save Arizona Cowboy Culture
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