Mike
Well-Known Member
The timing and lack of options in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s environmental assessment of the cross-border trucking program raises serious questions about the agency’s true intention, according to OOIDA comments filed on Thursday.
On July 12, the FMCSA released a draft environmental assessment and requested comments on environmental concerns related to the assessment.
“The timing of the notice raises serious questions about FMCSA’s true intent here,” the OOIDA comments state.
About a week before the notice was issued, the U.S. Department of Transportation entered into an agreement with Mexico, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding – known as an MOU – that became effective on July 6. The MOU set out the specific terms of the pilot program.
That was after the FMCSA had already announced its intention to proceed with the program.
“Thus, it appears that the Pilot Program plan has already been finalized and this notice seeking public input regarding environmental concerns is merely a hoop that FMCSA is jumping through because it is required to do so by law,” OOIDA comments state. “It is not a meaningful opportunity for the public to assist FMCSA in dealing with environmental issues.”
In spite of these suspicions, OOIDA filed comments that in the end highlighted simple fixes to environmental problems that will be exacerbated by a cross-border trucking program with Mexico.
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On July 12, the FMCSA released a draft environmental assessment and requested comments on environmental concerns related to the assessment.
“The timing of the notice raises serious questions about FMCSA’s true intent here,” the OOIDA comments state.
About a week before the notice was issued, the U.S. Department of Transportation entered into an agreement with Mexico, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding – known as an MOU – that became effective on July 6. The MOU set out the specific terms of the pilot program.
That was after the FMCSA had already announced its intention to proceed with the program.
“Thus, it appears that the Pilot Program plan has already been finalized and this notice seeking public input regarding environmental concerns is merely a hoop that FMCSA is jumping through because it is required to do so by law,” OOIDA comments state. “It is not a meaningful opportunity for the public to assist FMCSA in dealing with environmental issues.”
In spite of these suspicions, OOIDA filed comments that in the end highlighted simple fixes to environmental problems that will be exacerbated by a cross-border trucking program with Mexico.
Full Story
