20060412Comment by DEQ.pdf

STATE OF IDAHO
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
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!J :; i, -Du-k'Kempthorne , Governor
Toni Hardesty, Director
2110 Ironwood Parkway. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83814-2648. [phone]
I3N A - A -0& -
April 10 2006
Ron Law
Executive Administrator
Idaho Public Utilities Commission
O. Box 83720
Boise, Idaho 83720-0074
Dear Mr. Law:
Ed Tulloch, Water Quality Manager for the Coeur d' Alene DEQ, asked me to send you a
copy of a letter he wrote last week to Sidney Strickland and Associates.
If you have any questions, please give Ed a call at [phone].
Donna Harvey
Accounts Payable
STATE OF IDAHO
DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
2110 Ironwood Parkway. Coeur d'Alene. Idaho 83814-2648. [phone] Dirk Kempthorne. Governor
Toni Hardesty, Director
April 7, 2006
LJ COpy
Sidney Strickland and Associates, PLLC
3050 K St. N., Suite 101
Washington, DC 20007-5108
Re: STB Docket No. AB-6 (Sub. No. 441X) BNSF Railway Company- Abandonment
Exemption-in Kootenai County, ill
Dear Mr. Strickland:
In response to your letter dated March 24, 2006, and based upon the information
presented, it does not appear the proposed abandonment will take place in or near waters
of the State ofIdaho. As such, the proposed action appears to be consistent with state
water quality standards. In the State of Idaho, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
has primacy for the NPDES permit program, and you will need to contact that agency for
further information regarding NPDES permit requirements.
If you have further questions, please feel to contact me.
Sincerely,
Ed Tulloch
Regional Water Quality Manager
SIDNEY STRICKLAND AND ASSOCIATES, PLLC
3050 K ST. N., SUITE 101
WASHINGTON, DC 20007-5108
TELEPHONE: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
March 24, 2006
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SIDNEY L STRICKLAND, JR..
51 DNEY .STRICKLAN D~STRIC KLANDPLLC .COM
Administrator
Department of Environmental Quality
O. Box 83720
1410 North Hilton
Boise, ill 83706-1255
~ COpy
Re: STB Docket No. AB-6 (Sub. No. 441X) BNSF Railway Company-
Abandonment Exemption in Kootenai County, ID
Dear Sir or Madam:
BNSF Railway Company ("BNSF") plans on filing with the Surface Transportation
Board ("STB") a Notice of Exemption seeking authority in the above docket to abandon
12 miles of railroad line between Milepost 12.33 and Milepost 14.45, in Coeur d'Alene
in Kootenai County, Idaho.
The proposed abandonment may require removal of bridges and structures and the
removal of track materials such as rails and ties but the roadbed will be left intact. No
placement of dredge or fill material in any inland waterways is anticipated to result from
abandonment and/or salvage.
As part of the environmental report, BNSF needs to know whether or not this action will
be consistent with Federal, State or local water quality standards. Also, please state
whether or not Section 402 and/or National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NPDES") are required as a result of the proposed abandonment.
For your reference, I have enclosed a map ofthe above referenced railroad line. Please
provide this information to me by April 21 , 2006. If you have any questions, please do
not hesitate to contact me at [phone].
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
STB Docket No. AB-6 (Sub. No. 441X)
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