[MissoulaGov] upcoming MRL referrals

[Bob Jaffe]

On December 2nd at 8:00 am we will take up a couple of referrals related to Montana Rail Link.

One item is to discuss the diesel emissions from the rail yard. We just learned this from Jim Carlson of the health department:

This is to let you know that the Health Department, Air Quality Unit is preparing a 1.2 million dollar EPA grant to install auxiliary power units (APU) on all 34 MRL engines.  These units circulate heat and oil through the diesel engine so that the main engine does not have to idle. The APUs use .5-1 gallon of diesel per hour while an idleing rail engine uses five gallons per hour.


The other one comes out of a referral I made regarding herbicide spray along the rail lines in the city. One day this last summer I was on my way to work and as I crossed the Bitterroot Spur at first street I saw a big truck coming down the rail line spraying the weeds from a long boom. It was putting out a huge cloud of spray that completely covered the adjacent commuter trail. It was windy and the poison filled the air. Once the truck went by there was no way for any unsuspecting person walking their dogs to know the ground was saturated with herbicide. I assume there are few if any rules governing the rail line's use of herbicides but I'm hoping we can come to some agreement that at least lets us post a notice when they are doing it.

Bob Jaffe
Missoula City Council, Ward 3
1225 South 2nd West
Missoula, MT 59801
(406) 728-1052


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