20040720ltrfromITDtoBruceRanch.pdf

P.O. BOX 7129 BOISE, 10
C1nM
ECLr::-lVED lf1 t QQ
,. " .
11~n~H .
.--~=
1\~
t JUl l' PH 1,: fJq ,
. .. "
" !Q FUBJ IC
DE PAR TME Nlflll H:S COr1HfSSIClN
83707-1129 [phone]
C'l456- tI-(;A/lIJ ~-(j'l-o!
TRANSPORTATION
July 15 , 2004
Violet, TJ. and Hae Suk Bruce
Bruce'Ranch
2266 Harmony Heights Road
Orofino, ill 83544-9642
Re: Potential abandonment of the Konkolville to Jaype line
Dear Violet, T.J. and Hae Suk:
Governor Dirk Kempthorne has requested that the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) respond to
your recent letter regarding the referenced potential abandonment. Thank you for your interest and your
numerous suggestions for preserving rail service options in the Clearwater County area and in Idaho.
Please be aware that ITD does not have regulatory authority over railroad abandonment or the authority to
require shippers and railroads to negotiate contracts.
Federal law permits a railroad to file a Notice of Exemption with the Surface Transportation Board (STB)
to abandon a line if there has been no originating or terminating traffic on the line for two years or more
which is the case on that portion of the line from Konkolville to the end of the line near Jaype. The STB
normally approves these Notices of Exemption as long as any environmental conditions are met.
In a Great Northwest Railroad (GNR) filing of environmental materials with the STB on June 8, 2004, the
GNR states that they plan to salvage the track between mileposts 3.5 and 31.0 and convert the track from
mileposts 0.0 and 3.5 into spur track in order to continue to serve Konkolville Lumber.
As you are aware, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (IPUC) conducted a public hearing on the
proposed abandonment on June 28, 2004. It is our understanding that the IPUC Commissioners will
consider what possible action the IPUC might take before the STB on this case after the manuscript from
that hearing is received and reviewed. The IPUC may also wait until the GNR makes their official filing
with the STB to decide possible action.
I am forwarding a copying of your letter to the IPUC asking that they follow up with you as to any actions
taken by either their Commission or the STB. Again, thank you for your interest in preserving rail service
in Idaho, an interest that we share. Ifwe can be of further assistance, please contact Ron Kerr, ITD Rail
Planner, at 208.334.8210.
Sincerely,
.--'-.
::::5~
DAVID S. ERN P.
Director
DSE:RK: c: \lib \sal\gO4-070.doccc: Governor Dirk Kempthorne
IPUC-Don Howell
An Equal Opportunity Employer
1'~ ~~ ~o9:- ....REPLYDUI' 7- 2-fino.ld3h.8)_2
;:=!t G:, ,ti:.'f 0 TRAN S. 0 E PI. (20&) . 76-7532/476-4292
~ ~\~::~ .
. u . ~Q '010 'ib
=~.~~:
4' rJ-(~tj,~~4~
'I/;r; -flJ JUI
E? 8 7 dltfJ tJ
#?-
SUBJECT: .Save ffie ilroadlll
Clearwater County. Idaho. is on the verge of loosing an important part of its
transportation infra-structure. As reported in the April 81n Clearwater Tribune ba~ed in Orofino
Watco Companies, I nc. is seeking permission to abandon about 30 miles of rail line or that
portion that connects Konkolville with the former Jaype plywood plant near Pierce. Watoo is the
current owner of tnis short-tine railroad that transits Orofino and CleaiWater County. The
railroad was formerly known as the Camas Prairie RailNet which Wa1co now calls the Great
Northwest Railroad, Inc. The Idaho Public Utilities Commission will condud a hearing in regard
to this matter at the Clearwater National Forest Supervisor's Office at 1 :00 P.M. on June 28,
2004. In order to save this vital transportation link. each citizen and government official must
playa pro-active role in stopping the abandonment. We are specifically contacting you to
request your help in stopping the abandonment process and in returning this railroad to
operational status.
The Federal and state governments must think strategicalty about the future of this
region and refuse permission for this abandonment. ClealWater County cannot afford to lose
this important part of its economy or transportation infra-structure. At 13.4 percent average
unemployment for the past 10 years and $21,000 per capita annual income ($9 000 below the
National average), this county i~ '7he Appalachia of the West.- We see a trend where one
abandonment leads to another and another and so on. First was the Spalding to Grangeville
line. Fortunately, the Bountiful Green Craigmont Mountain Railroad (BGCM) owned by Mike
WiIHams saved the part of that line from Spalding to Cottonwood. Next to go will be the
Konkolville to Jaype line. Without the revenue from that line, it only makes sense Watco will
neXt request abandonment (already rumored) of the Spalding to Kamiah-KoosKia line to include
t~e Konkolville spur. With the up-river revenue gone, Watco will then propose to pull the rug out
from under BGCM forcing Mr. WilJiams to buy the Lewiston to Spalding line or abandon the
whole works.
The Tribune artide led one to believe the closure of the Jaype plywood plant caused
Potlatch to no longer use the line. That is not true according to Jim Mallory, a representative of
Potlatch Corporation who works at the Clearwater Logging Unit Headquarters Office. Mr.
Mallory says Jaype s transportatjon requirements generated the need for only 400 rail cars
annuaUy. However. log hauling generates a requirement for ten tim"es that number each yedr.
In fact, Mr. Mallory asserts Potlatch negotiated in good faith with Camas Prairie Rai(Net. the
previous owner, with a guarantee for at least 4 000 cars annually. Rai\Net reciprocated by
demanding an increase in shipping rates for the Jaype line while leaving rates as the'y were for
milJs on the Kamiah/Kooskia line. The deal fell through. Mr. Mallory states, "loosing the rail
hauling option translates to an additional 9 000 truck loads per year on the County's road
system.
Rail service on the Jaype line has been suspended for two years. After two years with
the increased truck traffic. our county, state, and national road system in this area has taken a
real hit. The road conditions can only get worse because revenue from trucks (Annot keep up
with the wear and tear on the roads. The only solution can be to hope for large federal grants
which are ultimately funded by the Nation s taxpayers. Why should the tax payer pick up this
.J I.J 1'c::. c:. t:J t:;J ~'-t. ~ ~ I II I " ....n,-'-' "'-"
.......'... ........-......... .- ---.----
FILE No .021 06/28 OA 09:20 1 D : 1 da h 0 Gov 0 f f i ce r- : LUd ,,~J jt.L~).ll I""Hl~c:. J. .::../ J.':':'
-'f '
tab when the rail tine could provide the necessary re1ief?
We believe the Federal and state governments should serve as the arbitrator between
Potlatch and Wat.co to establish a reasonable contract for hauling a minimum of 4 000 railcars of
logs per year with a five-year guarantee (ten-year better) by ~o~ parties. This solution requires
a get...tough policy by state and local county government for lImitIng use of local roads for Jog
hauling so Potlatch f~s compelled to use the railroad. Roads in this area are being beat-t~
death by over-weight \09 trucks and a policy of allowing hauling when roads shou\d be restricted
due to climatic conditions.
We also believe the Federal and state governments should eHminate aU taxes on the
Great Northwest Railroad (GRNW) property and rolling stade to provide incentiva for continued
operation. The pay-back is that any hauling done by the railroad: provides relief to the tax
payer in the form of less maintenance and reconstruction costs of the local road system
less of our nation s finite oil reserves, and pollutes the environment less than trucks do. The
people of the State of Washington musrt be included in this solution because Washington has
invested $30 million in Watet:J who also owns the Palouse River and Coulee City Railroad (PCC)
in eastern Washington. They made this investment to limit the wear and tear on their road
system. But they also realize trickla-down benefit from the GRNW as it transits eastern
Washington with products to or from Idaho which link up with the major rail carriers at Ayer
Junction.
Finally. government and civic leade~ must seek aut addmonal uses for this railroad to
demonstrate good faith for keeping the railroad operational. Examples are log hauling in
addition to Potlatch.s needs, ore hauling. fuel hauling, power produdion. and recreation. Based
on the Federa( governmenfs "'healthy forest" initiative. quantities of diseased, dead. and burned
timber should bg available for harvest in the near term. The Great Northwest RaiJroad1
especially the portion proposed for abandonment. provides a vital link for transporting this
timber to mills for processing into wood products. Mineral deposits in the Orofino Creek Canyon
have potential for commercial development. The rail line would serve as the vital link to haul the
ore to processing plants. The rail Hne provides the potential for two-way transportation of fuel.
whether oil-based or waste wood products, to facilitate domestic and commercial requirements
and co-generation power production. The Konkolville to Jaype rail line follows an exceptionally
scenic route as it pursues Orofino Creek through a canyon carved to a 2.000 foot depth.
Speeder' rail-enthusiasts covet this route for it crosses back and forth across the creek "early
once every mile of its 30 mile length. It has excellent potential as a dinner-train and/or tour-train
route and use as a motion picture set.
The bottom line is that the American government waf the people. gave huge land grants
to the railroads to open up the west. The railroads got rich by hauling people and at1icles of
trade and by selling the excess land. Now. when "we the people" of Clearwater County need to
retain this transportation resource as a vital part of our infra-structure" WatCtJ is ready to "cut
and run. to To add to this dilemma, many of our government officials and civic leaders have
given up the fight. We must stop the abandonment process and return the Konkolville to Jaype
rail line to operational status.
Sincerely,;JyR~V . R. BRUCE
. BRUCE
NOTE: See the following websites for information about Watoo and IOCaI-area stlort~ine railroads.
ttp:llwww qeootnews. comlKRUG/Q402 J1lS..R UGa. htm
hlttr//WWVJ. watcocompan ies .com/Railroad s/Q rJgrn~. htm
** TOTAL PAGE. 03