KUDOS to DUer John Coby & friends for stopping toxic rail line!

[CitySky]

See today's Houston Chron excerpt below -- looks like one for the good guys!

Clearly DeLay is emulating our pretzeldent by raking in credit for doing something he was forced to do after being backed into the corner by political pressure (Morrison campaign & the BAND) -- but we know who really deserves the "hats off" here!

3 cheers for John!

:party: HIP HIP HOORAY!

<snip>

East End rail line proposal scrapped
Railroad firms reach compromise to share lines, cars
By JOE STINEBAKER
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
RESOURCES
END OF THE SAN JACINTO LINE


Residents from Clear Lake to Houston's East End on Monday praised the decision by a group of chemical companies and a railroad to scrap plans for a 12.8-mile San Jacinto Rail Line through east and southeast Houston.

Mayor Bill White, U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, and a host of local elected officials announced Monday afternoon that the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroads had reached a "Christmas compromise" that will eliminate the need for construction of the San Jacinto line.

***(long section about big powerful Tom DeLay making it happen, omitted here)***

Another Clear Lake opponent, John Cobarruvias, said he is happy with the agreement but that local opponents had proposed the same thing to DeLay three years ago.

"It's great what they did," he said. "They just should have done it three years ago and saved us the money to fight it."

***

[Not_Giving_Up]

1. I heard that they are just going to share an existing line that's

already there. Am I missing something? Where's the victory? The chemicals will still transport, just not on new rails, right?

[Richardo]

2. The existing line goes through industrial areas, the new line...

...was planned to go next to residential areas. It will mean an incremental amount of new chemicals traffic on a line already moving thousands of cars a year of chemicals freight.

(Richardo = former employee of the Union Pacific)

[Not_Giving_Up]

3. OK, gotcha!

You know, if this is the rail line that runs along Highway 3...it will pass right by the big obnoxious billboard congratulating DeLay on his victory.

[gennifer6]

4. Congratulations!!! Democracy in action.....

:yourock:

[johncoby2]

5. THANKS!!!! from John

Thanks for the kudos! The credit goes to many citizens who took their time to help, write letters, protest, and everything else. We kicked the rails ASS!

We got an early christmas present, and DeLay gets nothing but a lump of coal. We sent a delegation to his office within weeks of the announcement of the rail in Aug 2001. He refused to help. So for three years we were fighting this without our own congressman, while others like Nick Lampson, Gene Green were helping us.

Now, he stands there taking credit for it.

I have an op-ed coming out on this. I will forward once it gets published.

[muse]

7. Way to go, John!

I am eagerly awaiting your Chronicle Op-Ed. Stick it to DeLay!!!! I read the piece in the Chronicle today. It made my wonderful congressman - TD - sound like Santa Claus, for magically making this happen all by himself.

[CitySky]

8. Please do.

Can't wait to see it published!

[sonias]

6. Congratulations John and other Houston area activists

Way to go!! Way to take action and win. And a big slap on the back for kicking DeLay's ass.

Sonia