Texas Central Partners, (Texas Central) is a private Texas-based company that is proposing a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. The proposed route is expected to effect Waller, Grimes, Madison, Leon, Limestone, Freestone, Ellis, Navarro, Dallas and Harris counties between the cities of Houston and Dallas/ Ft. Worth.
Prior to the publication of the Dallas-Houston High Speed Rail (HSR) Draft Environmental Impact Statement, no representative of the Federal Railroad Administration or the Texas Central Partners had consulted with local law enforcement officials from those affected counties, regarding the public safety and emergency response impact of the HSR’s construction and operation within the region.
Concerned sheriffs from those affected counties; Sheriff Glenn Smith from Waller County, Sheriff Don Sowell from Grimes County, Sheriff Travis Neeley from Madison County, Sheriff Kevin Ellis from Leon County, Sheriff Dennis Wilson from Limestone County, Sheriff Charles Edge from Ellis County, Sheriff Jeremy Shipley from Freestone County, and Sheriff Elmer Tanner from Navarro County, recently formed a law enforcement coalition to address public safety concerns anticipated with the operation of a 200 mph bullet train across their counties. Also joining this coalition is former-Grimes County Judge Ben Leman who is currently the Chairman of “Texans Against HSR” .
On February, 14th, 2018, the Coalition met in Centerville, Texas, and discussed law enforcement concerns regarding the HSR’s impact on public safety and emergency response issues in their respective counties. During this meeting, Sheriff Don Sowell (Grimes County) was nominated to chair the group.
The sheriff’s coalition will hold its next meeting, which is open to the public as well as the media, on
March 1, 2018 at 1:00 pm upon the steps of the Grimes County Courthouse in Anderson, Texas.
At this meeting, the Sheriffs will address public safety issues and concerns that could arise from the proposed operation of this train. They will discuss their plans to counter any detrimental hazards to the public safety and emergency response capacity within the affected area. The Sheriffs will also discuss their response to any citizen complaints their offices might receive regarding the HSR’s operation and individual property rights should they arise.
If you feel you are affected, or might be affected by the HSR’s operat ion , you are strongly encouraged to attend this public hearing on March ist, 2018, in Anderson, Texas.
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