The Mount Washington Railway Company (The Cog) - a rail that runs visitors to the top of Mount Washington - is seeking to construct Lizzie's Station in Mount Washington’s delicate alpine zone.

The alpine zone development would consist of +/- 1000 feet of new track, a new drilled well, wastewater effluent pipes stretching miles, and up to 18 railcars in place from mid May to mid October, at an elevation over 6,000 feet.

The ecological impact of a development project of this magnitude, in such a fragile area, cannot be understated. The location of Lizzie's Station is in a "Steep Slopes & High Elevations" Protected Disctrict (PD6) in the Zoning Ordinances of Coos County: "The purpose of the Steep Slopes & High Elevations Protected Overlay District (PD6) is to regulate certain land use activities in mountain areas in order to preserve the natural equilibrium of vegetation, geology, slope, soil and climate in order to reduce danger to public health and safety posed by unstable mountain areas, to protect water quality and to preserve mountain areas for their scenic values and recreational opportunities." The Lizzie's Station proposal is not consistent with the purpose of this Protected District.

In order to survive the adverse weather conditions of the alpine zone, alpine flora must grow close to the ground. These tiny plants are extremely vulnerable to trampling, and recover very slowly. Many of these alpine plants are also endangered, including the Robbins Cinquefoil, which is found only in the White Mountains (and nowhere else on Earth!). The American Pipit, an endangered American songbird, also nests in the area The Cog intends to develop. These, and many other alpine flora and fauna, are already at risk. Imagine the degradation that Lizzie's Station construction and its subsequent traffic would bring. 

While environmental impact is perhaps the most pressing concern, there are also other threats. Placing new, potentially brightly colored, railcars, would also have a major impact on viewshed aesthetic. In addition, underprepared hotel guests may easily find themselves in adverse weather and exposed terrain, creating a potentially costly and treacherous situation for all involved.

Your help is needed! Sign the petition to tell the Coos County Planning Board & Zoning Board of Adjustment that you are against new development in the fragile alpine zone on Mount Washington.