The Alaska Railroad has renewed efforts to use an herbicide on sections of track between Indian and Seward, reports Don Hunter of the Anchorage Daily News. The railroad says the weeds and grass growing through the tracks are a safety hazard, preventing detection of stress and leading to rail instability. The railroad, which is seeking approval from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, has been turned down before due to worry the herbicides would harm salmon or other animals. It is still meeting opposition for its new proposed weed-killer, glyphosate, which is the active ingredient in herbicides like Roundup.
– Emily Linroth
