(The Associated Press circulated the following article by Susan Gallagher on March 16.)
BILLINGS, Mont. — Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Thursday that he is tired of waiting for BNSF Railway to clean up rail yard pollution in Livingston and the state will do the work, billing the railroad.
Schweitzer said he expects cleanup to begin this year and does not know how much it will cost.
Livingston is just one of the Montana communities where BNSF for years has had major pollution problems from previous rail operations. Diesel has contaminated Livingston’s aquifer, and critics of the railroad say that has kept a lid on economic development in the community.
Schweitzer said that of the communities with pollution, Livingston should be the first for cleanup because it has a particularly comprehensive assessment of the problems and needs.
Schweitzer announced the state-run work at a meeting of the Montana Rail Service Competition Council, which he established. State officials said Fort Worth, Texas-based BNSF was invited to send a representative to the meeting, but did not do so.
Railroad spokesman Gus Melonas of Seattle did not immediately return a call seeking comment Thursday.