Eric Kirkendall: Citizen Reporter

I have been involved with the proposed BNSF Intermodal rail and truck yard near Gardner Kansas since 2007. My mission is to ensure that the environmental, traffic congestion, health and impacts of this proposed project are properly evaluated, that our political representatives negotiate with BNSF and take the other necessary actions to mitigate the impacts, and that if they can't be appropriately mitigated that no public support be provided for the project, and that it not be built.

Experience

I have Maaster's degrees in Urban Planning and Public Administration, and am an Information Technology manager. I've formed and led several citizen's organizations, most recently the Johnson County Intermodal Coalition (JCIC). My wife Mary and I recently moved from Johnson County, Kansas to Lawrence Kansas.

http://www.scribd.com/Johnson%20County%20Intermodal%20Coalition Link to documents on the Proposed BNSF Intermodal Rail/Truck Yard

Show full profile

Not In Kansas anymore – BNSF Intermodal Threatens the Environment

We in the Kansas City area are fortunate to have relatively clean air, but thanks to magical thinking by the “wizards” who run the BNSF Railroad and possible approval by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a decision may soon be made that will cause huge harm to our environment and health.

How did this come to be?

In December of 2006, the BNSF Railroad told the public they planned to develop one of the largest intermodal facilities in the world - a 1300 acre intermodal facility including railyard and 12 million square feet of warehouses and distribution facilities, near the small town of Gardner, Kansas, on the edge of the Kansas City metropolitan area.

The purpose of the facility? To transfer Chinese imports received through the Ports of Long Beach and LA from the train, and to ship them by truck up to 500 miles. The market area of the facility would be over 750,000 square miles. “It’s a major impact, not just for Kansas City, but ...read full post

Comments (3) | September 4, 2009