Dear Editor,
Living in Sandpoint, I am no stranger to freight trains. Like many of you, I can hear the rumble of an approaching train at any hour of the day or night, and my windowpanes rattle as one passes. Trains in Sandpoint seem to be a fact of life – but did you know that a crude oil terminal proposed for Vancouver, Washington would bring at least four more oil trains a day through our town? The health impacts of train traffic on those of us who live nearby are well known, and go far beyond being awakened in the middle of the night. The combination of sound and vibration can raise blood pressure and stimulate stress hormones. This exposure isn’t temporary, or something we get to choose: our county and state don’t even have a say in hazardous rail traffic that affects us.
Concerned about having yet more explosive oil trains forced through our community? On Jan. 14 we have a chance to speak up at a public hearing about the Vancouver Energy oil terminal. The hearing is at the Centerplace Regional Event Center in the Spokane Valley. Please show up and make your voice heard. We can choose to dream of better alternatives – we don’t have to put up with a waking nightmare!
Sincerely,
Forrest Maxfield
Denise Dombrowski
Sandpoint
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