Conservation group expresses opposition to high-speed rail over possible detrimental impact

[TexasTowelie]

A natural resources conservation group has come out in opposition to a proposed Houston to Dallas bullet train, saying the venture would take valuable agricultural land out of production.

Directors representing the Texas Soil and Water Conservation Districts voted against the high-speed rail during their annual meeting last weekend.

Charlie Price, chairman of the Bedias Creek SWCD in Madisonville, is the head of the group that submitted the resolution at the state meeting.

Price said he's worried about the environmental impact of the proposed bullet train and wonders how farmers and ranchers will be able to work their land if it's separated by an uncrossable high-speed rail line.

Read more: http://www.theeagle.com/news/local/conservation-group-expresses-opposition-to-high-speed-rail-over-possible/article_ca5ecdee-800c-5309-863e-d15f98cd397a.html

[tanyev]

1. I don't know anything about these conservation districts. Are they legit?

Or are they well-funded fronts for other interests?

[kentauros]

2. Why aren't they more concerned

with the developers that take far more land for housing tracts than this rail right of way ever could? My educated guess to answer that would be that the developers have a powerful lobby behind them and the bullet-train is thus an easier target.

Their lame concern about the rail separating farmers and ranchers from other parts of their property has been answered by all of the bridges that have been put in place for highways and interstates.

So yeah, I'm also wondering who's funding them, because so far, their concerns aren't coming across as legitimate.