Thanks to the dozens of Missoula, Moscow, Sandpoint, and Spokane activists who participated in the slide shows and lively discussions about Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway’s proposed, Lake Pend Oreille, Sand Creek, and Sandpoint area, bridge and track expansion, associated, public input and agency decision processes, the Wild Idaho Rising Tide (WIRT) petition for judicial review of a state encroachment permit for the project, and effective, comment and testimony tactics for opposing the current, U.S. Coast Guard, draft environmental assessment (EA), issued instead of a more scientifically rigorous, draft environmental impact statement (EIS) on February 6.  WIRT activists are grateful to meet, see again, and talk and stay with the dedicated, regional community members so essential to the continent-wide, grassroots movement of water and climate protectors resisting fossil fuel infrastructure!  Thanks for your hospitality and ongoing work!

Since early February, WIRT activists have engaged regional activists, friends, and supporters via 2000-plus email alerts, over 500 facebook posts, 750 miles of visits, and hundreds of event announcement media releases, flyers, and handouts, to instigate public participation in four #No2ndBridge talks and draft EA comment and testimony opportunities.  We also rescheduled our Spokane presentation to attend the March 7, Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper (LPOW)-Idaho Conservation League (ICL) meeting about the draft EA, to ascertain and assert #No2ndBridge intentions for court challenges of a final EA and an unimaginable finding of no significant impact (FONSI).

Please join climate and conservation organizations across the Northwest in providing written and oral remarks via these (potentially last!) opportunities:

Public hearings: 8 am and 6 pm, Wednesday, March 13, Ponderay Events Center, 401 Bonner Mall Way, Ponderay, Idaho

Comment portal: https://www.regulations.gov, search for USCG-2018-1085, by March 25

Mail: Steven Fischer, Thirteenth Coast Guard District, 915 Second Avenue, Seattle, WA 98174-1067, for receipt by March 25

In your letter and/or speech, introduce yourself and your group and location affiliations, chose and explain a #No2ndBridge issue about which you are knowledgeable and/or passionate, and request a comment period extension to 90 days, hearings in Sandpoint, inclusion of your comments in the public record, and a full, environmental impact study and statement evaluating this BNSF scheme.

As promised at recent, community gatherings, we are posting, sending, and soon updating these public input resource documents offered by four north Idaho groups, describing draft EA deficiencies, citizen concerns to address, comment and testimony suggestions, and even a map of Sandpoint area, road/rail crossings and coal train routes (to the proposed, Newport, silicon smelter?).  Please sign and comment at the last-linked petition to deny and revoke permits for the BNSF Sandpoint Junction Connector project.  Thanks!  #No2ndBridge!

BNSF Bridges Draft EA Deficiencies, Comment Suggestions, & Coal Train Routes – ICL & LPOW

BNSF Bridges Draft EA Comment & Testimony Tips – ICL & LPOW

BNSF Bridges Draft EA Resources & Concerns to Address – PESC (Palouse Environmental Sustainability Coalition)

BNSF Bridges Draft EA Concerns to Address – PESC

Railroad Bridges Hearings, Comments, and Updates – WIRT

#No2ndBridge Regional Talks – WIRT

Petition to Deny and Revoke Permits for the BNSF Sandpoint Junction Connector Project – WIRT