This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. A majority-Black rural community in Georgia is battling to stop a railroad company from seizing private land for a new train line they say will cause environmental and economic harms. Residents of Sparta, a poor community of 1,300 people located 100 miles southeast of Atlanta, are opposing the construction of a rail spur that would connect a local quarry to the main train line, enabling the gravel company to vastly expand mining that already causes dust, debris, and noise pollution. Residents, including direct descendants of James Blair Smith, the African American farmer who against all odds obtained and farmed the land almost a century ago, have so far resisted efforts by the company to convince landowners to sell portions of their properties needed for the project. Now, fears are mounting that the Sandersville Railroad Company, which claims the project will generate a dozen well-paid jobs and boost the county economy by $1.5 million, could impose the 4.5-mile spur on the residents’ land, generating environmental hazards and depressing property values. Last month, the company filed a petition with the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC)—the first step to seize land by taking advantage of the state’s 19th-century eminent domain law.
Rural Georgia Town Squares Off With Rail Company That Wants Its Land
Maggie Duffy, Mother Jones
Thu, 04/06/2023 - 3:00am
Topics: guardian desk collaboration atlanta james blair smith african american georgia public service commission psc)—the janet smith army they sparta s jim crow deep south blaine smith american progress hanson david sally garrett ben tarbutton president biden s infrastructure investment jobs act as united states hancock county jamie rush southern poverty law center residents sparta smith sandersville sandersville railroad company the psc black smith hancock while sandersville tarbutton rural town land community domain eminent wealth property spur project train route retired environmental white quarry legal efforts dust building benefits generational added gravel claims pollution desire utilize descendants filed confident ability enabling connect debris main poor properties obtained odds century run tracks petition generate private line coalition proposed nearby people owner letters families benefit owned
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