I don't see why environmental clean up of old sites should keep the NWP from starting service. BNSF and Union Pacific have loads of sites they are studying how to clean up or actually cleaning up and they haven't ceased operations in the mean time. Besides these problems weren't created by NWP anyway and they clearly don't have any money to mitigate them. Anything that needs cleaning on the NWP right-of-way is going to wind up being paid for by the taxpayers.

Now that the money has been spent to get part of the line up to minimal standards and if the FRA agrees, I would like to see the trains running. If there isn't enough business to support freight operations we should know within a year or so and NWP will fold. If they can make a go of it, well wouldn't that be a pleasant surprise? Also a sucessfull money making freight operation might be able to contribute a little money toward some of the enviromental problems.

Let's run some trains and see what happens.