Submission Number: UBR-DEIS-00645 

Received: 2/12/2021 1:51:41 PM
Commenter: David Brotherson
Organization: Duchesne County School District
State: Utah

Agency: STB
Initiative: Uinta Basin Railway EIS
Attachments:
UBR-DEIS-00645-59093.pdf Size = 100 KB
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Submission Text
Attached Letter of Support from Duchesne County School District


ATTACHMENT


TO: Joshua Wayland, PhD
Surface Transportation Board
c/o ICF
9300 Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22031

Subject: Uinta Basin Railway Draft Environmental Impact Statement

RE: Docket No. FD 36284
RDCC Project No. 76724

FROM: David Brotherson
ADDRESS: 1010 East 200 North Roosevelt Utah 84066

Dear Mr. Wayland,

The board members of our Duchesne County School District unanimously support the Uinta Basin Railway Project and the work being done by the STB and Office of Environmental Analysis’s EIS.

As with many rural community’s infrastructure development is welcomed and with good reason. The railroad will not only help diversify our economy but provide jobs that ensure that the youth we educate in our public schools have the opportunity to stay in our community following their higher education and technical training.

The railroad is planned for the oil industry and agriculture industry that we believe will develop once its operational. The benefits of mineral lease dollars back to our community and state education system is critical to future generations of Duchesne County youth.
Your analysis in the section “Socioeconomics” (3.13) notes the effects and salaries, costs associated with education and other agency values. What we want to point out is that without the benefit of state tax revenue generated from construction costs of this project and others that support local oil and gas industries, we have minimal funds to improve local public buildings and infrastructure. This project will help sustain the growth we anticipate.

We understand, and made our position known that we expect the project developer to honor the wishes of this school board that every landowner, resident, and government partner be treated with the greatest respect as this is a community project that will benefit more than just our current school aged family but will affect the lives of future generations of school children and their families.

Thank you for taking our comment and for the work being done to demonstrate our community will thrive with this infrastructure that will support more than oil and gas, it will support family incomes and other industries that will come with the railroad.

Respectfully Submitted,

Superintendent Duchesne County School District