ROCHESTER, Minn., Nov. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Safety, potential accidents and quality of life concerns are prompting nearly 70 percent of Rochester residents to oppose plans to increase freight train traffic through their city, a new survey shows. The survey of more than 500 Rochester residents, conducted October 8-16, also shows strong public sentiment for area elected officials to resist plans to expand freight rail traffic in the city.
The Canadian Pacific Railway (CP) recently acquired the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad (DM&E) and associated tracks through downtown Rochester. During the acquisition, CP officials outlined plans to upgrade tracks through Rochester in anticipation of increasing the frequency and speed of trains through the city. Currently, only two to three trains a day traveling 10 miles per hour move through Rochester.
"This survey clearly demonstrates what city officials have been emphasizing all along: that the citizens of Rochester are concerned about public safety and oppose plans to increase freight traffic," said Ardell Brede, Rochester Mayor. "The poll also finds that nearly 87 percent of our community rates the quality of life in Rochester as excellent or good. We have been trying to work with rail officials for almost a decade to make them realize that high-speed freight trains, some that may be carrying hazardous materials, will be detrimental to public safety, emergency response and our quality of life in many ways."
According to the survey results:
-- 7 in 10 people oppose CP's plan to operate more and faster freight
trains through Rochester. Forty-six percent strongly oppose and only
10 percent strongly support.
-- 3 in 4 say elected officials should resist an increase in ethanol and
hazardous material train traffic through downtown Rochester.
-- 1 in 3 (32 percent) are not at all confident that CP can safely
transport hazardous materials through Rochester.
-- Only 2 in 10 think Canadian Pacific can safely run more trains at
higher speeds if tracks are upgraded.
-- Residents' main concerns were the increased risk of chemical spills,
derailments, delays to emergency personnel, accidents at rail crossings
and increases in traffic congestion.
"This poll shows residents expect elected officials to step in and prevent hazardous materials from moving through downtown Rochester on high speed freight trains," explained Dennis Hanson, President of the Rochester City Council. "The good news is we are working on it. Elected officials from Rochester, Olmsted County and others are engaged in an on-going dialogue with CP officials to better understand the railroad's future plans and assure that any action taken does not compromise the safety of our citizens and communities."
Rochester Fire Department leaders, along with first responders from Mayo Clinic and Gold Cross met with CP officials in late September to discuss their concerns. Fire Chief Greg Martin said that because of the rail line's proximity to health care facilities, businesses and senior living centers, the potential for disaster poses an unacceptably high risk.
"A derailment in downtown Rochester, one that involves any type of hazardous material spill, would be catastrophic and would stretch us beyond our capabilities," Chief Martin explained. "On a given day, there are 30,000 people living and working near the train tracks. We are the largest city along the CP/DM&E line and the economic hub of Southern Minnesota. Even without the threat of a derailment, we have to consider the loss of lives due to emergency service vehicles waiting at the tracks for a train to pass. To me, the only way to keep the city safe is to not increase freight through town, period. According to the research, the citizens of Rochester agree."
The State and Federal Department of Homeland Security has named Rochester and Mayo Clinic a 'critical infrastructure' in Minnesota, which means it is a potential target for a terrorist attack. County and city officials, along with medical personnel from the Mayo Clinic, prepare for disaster scenarios they hope will never occur.
"As a community, we prepare for, but cannot predict, situations such as a tornado or a HAZMAT spill," explained Jeff Korsmo, chief administrative officer of Mayo Clinic. "Federal railroad statistics show that a train derails in this country about every 3.4 hours. We can reduce the risk by not increasing freight train traffic. It seems pretty simple."
KRC Research conducted the telephone survey of more than 500 Rochester residents Oct. 8-16, 2008. The margin of error for the sample is a plus or minus 4.4 percentage points. The study was commissioned by the Rochester Coalition.
The complete survey questions and results are available to media upon request.
Background
For more than a decade, DM&E has pursued a major rail expansion across southern Minnesota and South Dakota, hoping to haul large amounts of coal from Wyoming's Powder River Basin to power plants in the Midwest and East. Unable to secure private financing for the project, DM&E sought the largest federal loan to a private company in American history -- a $2.3 billion loan from U.S. taxpayers. On Feb. 26, 2007, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) denied DM&E's application, stating that the loan "would pose an unacceptably high risk" to federal taxpayers.
In early September 2007 the Canadian Pacific announced an agreement to acquire DM&E and as of Oct. 30, 2008, Canadian Pacific has obtained ownership of the railroad.
The Rochester Coalition is committed to protecting the people of Rochester and the patients and staff at Mayo Clinic as well as other affected communities. The Rochester Coalition represents the city of Rochester, Olmsted County, the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce and Mayo Clinic. For more information, visit http://www.protectrochester.com.
SOURCE Rochester Coalition
For further information: Cameron Potts, +1-952-346-6038, cell, +1-612-840-5780, for Rochester Coalition
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