Submission Number: UBR-DEIS-00448 

Received: 1/27/2021 8:39:00 AM
Commenter: Dustin O'Dell
Organization: 
State: 

Agency: STB
Initiative: Uinta Basin Railway EIS
Attachments: No Attachments
Submission Text
Hello,

Just wanted to say I support the proposed railroad.

I believe that if something isn't done to change the transportation for commodities to and from the area vernal will stay dependent on a very unstable oil and gas market which has devastated families over the past years especially recently, this new biden administration is detrimental to our families because we depend on the field to bring new money to the area....

We need a way to bring new business to the area, a railroad would give new businesses the opportunity to established a footprint here in the area and it would be able to safely export goods including during the winter.

We need better opportunities for jobs in Vernal, the railroad just might give big business the resources needed to bring that here so we can break that dependency with oil and gas, granted it'll always be here but it's not the sole source of good paying jobs as it has been, also break the need for government assistance by developing new jobs with better pay, no longer would the people have to worry about a sudden collapse in the energy market knowing they are about to be hungry and homeless. I've seen to many families have to combined households to try and survive because one family's income is not enough.

The last interview that I went to I was told that there was over 2700 applicants for this one job... That's insane, typically the good jobs go to friends and family of current workers because they are struggling too, we need manufacturing jobs or some better source of employment. As a bonus this will not only help provide more options for work it'll bring in revenue from taxes for the city/county.

The railroad could open these options up for us.

So I say build it now and if you need help in any way I'm ready and willing to start immediately!

Dustin O'Dell
208-310-1174