Second rail bridge public hearing set for May 23

By Lyndsie Kiebert
Reader Staff

The Idaho Department of Lands has officially set a date for the public hearings on the BNSF Railway Co. application to construct a second train bridge across Lake Pend Oreille and Sand Creek.

There will be two public hearing sessions, both on May 23. The first is at 8 a.m. at the Ponderay Events Center, and the second is at 6 p.m. in the Sandpoint Middle School gym.

BNSF must obtain a permit from IDL under the Idaho Lake Protection Act, which regulates activities on, in or above Idaho lakes.

IDL extended the initial comment period for the proposal, which now ends the day of the hearings.

Comments on BNSF’s proposal can be e-mailed to comments@idl.idaho.gov, or submitted through the IDL web site at idl.idaho.gov/comment.html. Access the proposal and received public comments at idl.idaho.gov/lakes-rivers/lake-protection/index.html.