Town Council Resolution in Opposition to New Railroad Lines
On Tuesday, January 10, after listening to testimony from many of the more than 500 citizens who had gathered to protest the proposal for construction of new rail lines through homes, protected open space, parkland, wetlands, farms, Narragansett Tribal Land, Historic Districts, and eligible low/mod communities in Charlestown and nearby towns, the Charlestown Town Council passed a resolution in opposition to the plan.
Read a PDF of the full resolution.
Town staff, members of Town Government, CCA Steering Committee members, Charlestown Land Trust, and others continue to work nonstop on this issue as the January 31st deadline approaches.
What can you do?
- Get your comments to the town email set up for this purpose at Amtrak-Comments@charlestownri.org and the town will send those comments on to NECFuture and our Congressional Delegation and Governor. Please include you name and address in the email so that the FRA knows which town the comments are coming from.
- Take the trip to Springfield Massachusetts on January 25, where the FRA will hold an Open House to hear questions on the plan. Learn more about the FRA Open House.
January 15, 2017 @ 12:57 pm
Surely we have learned by now that family homes, Native American sacred land and longtime-owned private land are more important than straightening a railroad track. Has private property no importance?
January 15, 2017 @ 11:36 am
We are frequent passengers on Amtrak. But we view the Federal Railroad Administration’s plan to straighten the track through our town by eminent domain as a hostile act. By doing so, big business will “win” for gaining a few minutes of travel time and will pass through lands held in perpetuity by residents for hundreds of years, not to mention taking from our Land Trust for miles beyond. Please find ways to re-consider this erroneous act!