Roll On...

I'm not referring to deodorant with the phrase "Roll On."  Reality is that constituents have been organizing and decided to be a presence at the site of yet another private meeting. This meeting was between a Minnesota congressman on the Transportation committee, local mayors and HAZMAT (First Responders)  and perhaps railroad people across the river in Winona, Minnesota's City Hall. The conversation was assumed to discuss both safety and possible oil spills/explosions. There has been a recent uproar regarding rail accidents this past year. 

poster made by yours truly...

Concern reigns due to the impropriety of an elected official meeting privately rather than in a public forum to discuss community public safety.  Representatives of different organizations met with local media to give voice to the importance of transparency of  public officials.  Natureman was there representing a grassroots organization C.A.R.S.( Citizens Acting for Rail Safety) and was interviewed.

An open letter to the Minnesota Representative will appear in the Winona News asking for a joint listening session with the Wisconsin Representative as environmental issues cross political boundaries of the Upper Mississippi Wildlife Refuge. Demands will include reduction of rural rail speed to 40mph for Bakken crude oil, 30mph in urban areas and adjacent waterway tracks, a 40 car maximum vs their present 100 and phasing out of unsafe DOT-111 tank cars replacing with new safer models, monies needed from benefitted private sector to train personnel and provide equipment to combat possible accidents and lastly, an increase of federal and state rail line inspectors.

Ya see, even back here in the End of the Rainbow Valley we are politically and socially engaged. The trains will continue to roll on but we can all be agents of change as to how they are rolling...