Model Forum / General / Railroads / February 2005

Some of you may remember that I posted a couple of months ago about the
"state of the art", "perfectly safe", "can't leak" refueling depot that
BNSF built over the Spokane aquifer.  It leaked.

Well, now it leaked again.  Through a "sealed" concrete barrier and
through the first of two "impermeable" plastic bariers.  There's some
question as to the condition of the second plastic barier.

And it turns out that there were two other "minor" leaks that hadn't
been reported.  A total of four in about that many months after opening.

The depot has been temproarily shut down by court order until it can be
recertified as leakproof.  There is some discussion that the states
involved (Idaho and Washington) may be out of luck if BNSF appeals to
the feds using the "restraint of interstate commerce" dodge.

BNSF = Build Now, Seep Forever.