Letter to Penny Pritzker, Secretary of Commerce - Shea-Porter, Shaheen, Ayotte Urge Review of Sea-3 Rail Travel through Great Bay

Letter

July 21, 2014

The Honorable Penny Pritzker
Secretary of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20230

Dear Ms. Pritzker:

We write to request that that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) review the situation in the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GBNERR) and determine whether NOAA should conduct a comprehensive environmental assessment on the environmental considerations surrounding the expanded use of the rail line passing through the GBNERR.

The GBNERR is part of the Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire's largest estuarine system, which offers a variety of diverse habitats, including eelgrass beds, mudflats, and salt marsh. Thirteen miles of Class 1 rail line run alongside and over portions of the Great Bay, GBNERR, and Piscataqua River.

Sea-3 Inc. operates a propane terminal facility in the town of Newington, NH. On May 19, 2014, the Newington Planning Board approved Sea-3's expansion, allowing it to receive propane shipments by rail. The additional rail cars will travel on the thirteen miles of rail along the estuary system. Pan Am Railways, the rail line owner, is currently upgrading the tracks from Class 1 to Class 2, which will result in an estimated 10,000 rail ties being replaced.

The Great Bay-Piscataqua Waterkeeper has highlighted numerous environmental effects that expanded use of these rail lines would have on research facility work, oyster restoration efforts, aquaculture operations, lobsterman, crabbers, and recreational shell fishermen. We ask that NOAA determine whether a comprehensive environmental assessment of the rail line expansion would be appropriate to address these concerns and for NOAA to detail any further oversight and support the agency can provide to the GBNERR in regards to this issue.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

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