In May Amtrak cut down a large number of old growth trees along the Northeast Corridor rail line and under some high-tension wire feeders. Over the past few months there have been several articles printed about this incident.
The focus of most of the articles has been about the cutting of trees. Without this buffer, the noise level has increased well beyond the intermittent noise decibels allowable. To add to this annoyance, we now have to look at high tension wires previously hidden by the trees.
Along with the human suffering, there has been a huge annihilation of the wildlife and environment in these areas. The trees were home to hundreds of birds whose nests were destroyed by the cutting down of the trees.
In the ground around the trees several kinds of small animals lived. Amtrak polluted their ground by spraying large amounts of herbicides on several occasions. The environmental impact on this area is overwhelming — small animals now scrambling to find homes before the cold sets in.
Amtrak did finally agree to allow some replanting of small trees (who knows if they will grow in the polluted soil), but now they have no money to pay for the trees.
They had money to take all the trees down. Something needs to be done about the quality of life for all living in these areas.
Marilyn Mundy
Metuchen