|
|
February 4, 2021
Dear friends,
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Maglev, a high-speed train project proposed between Baltimore and Washington, was released a few weeks ago. Maglev fares are proposed to be as much as $79 each way with large parking garages, including a 7-story 5,000-space parking garage in Baltimore City. This is not mass transit, but is transit for cars and the wealthy. The project sponsors have indicated they will seek federal money to build Maglev, placing this project in direct competition for limited federal dollars needed for true mass transit that addresses equity, lifts-up our communities and residents; and builds our local economy.
 Moreover, as anticipated, Maglev disproportionately effects Prince George's County. However, until now the degree of impacts was not completely understood.
I urge all residents of Prince George's County and our friends across the state to take the time to understand the immense negative impacts this project would bring to communities, especially majority Black and Brown neighborhoods with lower incomes. The communities along this route have been organizing and raising their voices, it is now time for all of us to weigh in on this destructive project. Connect with with Maryland Coalition for Responsible Transit here.
While the entire DEIS is incredibly long, the maps in the appendices tell us much of what we need to know to realize this project should not move forward:
- There will be "vibration impacts" and "severe noise impacts" to individual homeowners, our neighbors, along this alignment. Click here to find these maps and see the direct effect to homeowners and apartment dwellers in Glenridge, Woodlawn, Beacon Heights, Martin's Wood, New Carrollton, Kingswood and Greenbelt. View these maps here.
- The permanent fresh air/emergency exit work site proposed at 410 with an entrance from Riverdale Road will see 590-690 daily truck departures/arrivals at the work site. The work site will operate 24 hours a day for roughly 2-3 years, creating noise and air pollution, and damaging our roads.
- The viaducts and other supplies to construct this project will travel from the old Landover Mall site (near FedEx Field) to the construction site in Riverdale. The old Landover Mall site, in consideration for the FBI headquarters, would be used for storing the construction equipment and materials for several years.
In addition to the direct and lasting community impacts, there will be irreversible damage and habitat destruction at Patuxent Research Refuge, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC), and National Park Service properties, as well as at county and local parks. In addition, the analysis does not take into consideration the current Purple Line project and maintenance yard under construction in the Riverdale community and in Prince George's County.
While this e-newsletter focuses heavily on Prince George's County, communities in Baltimore, Washington DC, and elsewhere along the alignment will also endure long-term negative impacts.
I'm incredibly proud of so many community activists who, like me, have been advocating in opposition to this project since it was first proposed.
Now, we must all get involved by doing the following:
- Submit official comments on the DEIS to support the "no build alternative". Submit your comments online here.
- Email your Maryland State representatives and let them know of your opposition to the project and ask them to support these bills: SB0188/HB0063 by Senator Pinsky and Delegate Williams to prohibit appropriations to this project and HB704 to prohibit the project from being sited on certain property.
- Email the entire Maryland congressional delegation and request that they prevent any future federal funding of this project. Their emails can be found here and here.
Thank you for your advocacy on this critical project.
Learn more:
https://bwmaglev.info/index.php/project-documents/deis and use the drop-down menu near the top of the page to view and/or download the various sections of the statement. The appendices are available in a separate drop-down menu. The deadline for public comments on the DEIS has been extended to April 22, 2021.
Community town hall on January 14, 2021: Topics included community concerns, safety, environmental justice, environmental impacts, and more. The recording of that session is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/SnmKbB0XQ9E
I will continue to share new information as I receive it. Thank you in advance for joining the residents along this alignment and me in opposition to this project which will provide no benefit to the residents of Prince George's County, but will do a great deal of damage.
Together Strengthening Our Community,
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
