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It was disappointing to read the recent story published in the Daily Bee about the Sandpoint City Council’s decision to demand an Environmental Impact Statement on our Sandpoint Junction Connector project. The fact is that a multi-step environmental review process is already under way on the project. First, the lead agency completes an Environmental Assessment. At the end of the EA process, the agency will make a determination as to whether there are significant impacts to the environment. If there are no significant impacts, the agency will issue a finding of no significant impacts. However, if the agency finds the project will cause significant impacts, then and only then would the agency conduct an EIS

Project opponents’ demanding that an EIS is necessary, before the EA has even been released, is premature and unnecessary. To ask the lead agency to change to an EIS at this late date, before there has been a single significant impact found, is unacceptable and inappropriate under the National Environmental Policy Act, which BNSF is committed to following in conjunction with the federal agencies with jurisdiction over the project.

We hope that all interested parties will give the process a chance to work the way it was intended and the way the law requires.

COURTNEY WALLACE

Seattle

BNSF Railway

Regional director, public affairs