Key Points:
- BNSF Railway’s $3.2 billion project threatens Wittmann residents’ way of life
- Residents oppose 4,320-acre rail facility, citing noise and environmental concerns
- Residents fear exposure to particulates and toxins from the proposed facility
By Lorenzo Gomez | Cronkite News
In the morning, Laura Deaver wakes to the soft hum of the desert land surrounding her home. The calm is occasionally interrupted by the sound of horses snorting or a morning four-wheeler ride with her husband, Kyle, and 7-year-old daughter, Kyrie. Neighbors sip coffee and wave from their porches as the small community of Wittmann begins another day.
Now, she says, a project by Burlington-Northern Santa Fe — better known as BNSF Railway and one of the country’s largest railroad companies — threatens the way of life for the town’s roughly 600 residents.
“This is the safest, most intimate community you could find,” she said, “Now imagine 15,000 semis coming off of that road you just drove in on.”
Deaver is referring to a $3.2 billion construction project for BNSF’s proposed 4,320-acre rail facility that would horseshoe around Wittmann and neighboring areas. Since its announcement in 2024, it has faced waves of backlash.
