The federal government cancelled its controversial plan to take a portion of the Rainville family dairy farm to renovate a seventy year old US-Cananda border station.
Senator Leahy announced last Thursday that Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano had decided to close the station rather than go through with the renovation. The Morses Line port entry in Franklin gets approximately 2.5 vehicles an hour. The US Customs and Border Protection sought to seize 2.2 acres from the Rainville family dairy farm, which is adjacent to the station.
Initially the Customs Officials requested 10 acres of the farm land, then reduced it to 4.9 acres. Officials warned the family via a letter that if they did not agree to sell the land for $39,000, it would be seized through eminent domain. They then reduced the requirement to 2.2 acres.
The loss of the land could have put Rainville's dairy company out of business, as that land is used as a feed source for the dairy cows.
This plan was opposed by the Rainvilles, Senator Patrick Leahy, and about 150 people who protested at a public hearing last month at the Franklin Town Hall. Eighteen people spoke at the public hearing and not one favored the plan.
Source: The Washington Post 6.3.10 MONTPELIER, VT
US ends plan to seize VT dairy farm for border station renovation
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