Uintah Basin Railway Environmental Concerns Debunked In Opinion Piece

The cries against the Uinta Basin Railway, particularly in Utah’s neighboring state of Colorado, have grown in volume as the Railway is closer than ever to becoming a reality. Prompted by information they say sorely misrepresents the Uinta Basin Railway, Executive Director of the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition Keith Heaton and managing partner for DHIP Group Mark Michel submitted a piece to the Deseret News titled ‘The Uinta Basin Railway environmental concerns, debunked’.  Opponents of the Railway, they say, are operating on a significant misconception and one that quickly breaks down the expressed concerns. Their piece states: “In short, Uinta Basin waxy crude is transported as a solid, not a flammable or hazardous liquid. It does not present an environmental concern if there were a derailment. Think of it as transporting a candle. Furthermore, it is also important to realize how low the risk of derailment and spills is… In the unlikely case that there was a derailment, clean-up crews would pick up any discharged waxy crude with shovels because after all, the waxy crude is a solid and would have the consistency of a ‘bunch of candles.’ It would not seep into the ground due to the temperature needed for it to transform back to a liquid, and it would also float on the water.” The piece addresses this and other misinformation they say has been circulating. To read the entire piece, visit www.deseretnews.com/opinion