BNSF explains why it bought homes near rail yard

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By The Associated Press

Story Published: Jul 8, 2009 at 7:17 AM MDT

Story Updated: Jul 8, 2009 at 7:17 AM MDT

KALISPELL - BNSF says it bought several properties near a Whitefish rail yard not to avoid cleaning up contamination but to mitigate the company's legal liabilities.

Some Whitefish residents with property near the yard had hired an attorney and planned to test for toxins after BNSF started offering to buy the homes. They feared toxic plumes from a refueling facility were migrating to their properties.

But BNSF Vice President Charles Shewmake assured a group of property owners and officials, including Gov. Brian Schweitzer, Tuesday there are no health or safety risks posed by plumes of contaminated groundwater near the yard.

Shewmake says the railroad wanted to avoid a similar outcome to a court case between the town of Sunburst and oil giant Texaco. In that $41 million lawsuit from 2007, the state Supreme Court ruled against Texaco for extensive gasoline spillage at its former refinery in Sunburst.

Shewmake says BNSF probably won't buy any more homes near the yard, and the company and environmental officials believe the subsurface is stable and so are the plumes.

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