Submission Number: UBR-DEIS-00414 -- Oral Comment at Public Meeting 

Received: 12/3/2020 12:00:00 AM
Commenter: Mike Stangel
Organization: 
State: 

Agency: STB
Initiative: Uinta Basin Railway EIS
Attachments: No Attachments
Submission Text
Hi.· My name is Mike Stangel I am the host of the (inaudible) with Newstalk KVEL.
We've been broadcasting this show, this event, live on KVEL local in the Uinta Basin, and I want to just add a few comments.

We had Mike McKee that joined us in the studio prior to this event and was broadcast.· We got some great feedback about and also we had (inaudible) Rio Grande was on there as well, a representative for Rio Grande.· We had some great updates about it.· And I
encourage those who are listening to voice their opinions and also share their comments as well.

I wanted to add a few things to this.· One of the things that came up was the money, the funds, that were used for the CIB board.· During our conversation today, Mike McKee, announced that the monies that were -- the grant money that they had received upon the commercialization that that money will be returned back to the CIB.· And that the commitment that they have made, and it is a contract commitment.· So, that's a substantial return of the CIB money back, so that that money can be used for further projects through the CIB board at their discretion. I just wanted to voice my public opinion and support of this.· I think the project is going to be great.· I think that it is an opportunity for the basin residents as a whole to experience an opportunity of growth, not only within the oil extraction business but also diversification of other businesses and energy.

I will also add that the Uinta Basin doesn't have a rail.· There's other places that do, the
larger cities, Salt Lake City.· There is also some rural areas that have rail.· My question to those that are opposing it is:· Why are those areas more important than the families that live here in the basin?· Because these families need jobs.· They need to be able to provide for their family, save for their retirement and be able to take care of the next generation as well.

So, I think when we look at this as a whole as a big picture we need to consider everybody not just what we want but what is good for everybody as a whole as a population.· And that's the end of my comments, thank you.