GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — Friday lawmakers gathered in Garfield County to voice concerns regarding the transportation of oil along the Colorado River.

Senator Michael Bennett and Representative Joe Neguse along with several state lawmakers met the press along the Colorado River today to voice dissent for a planned rail project to transport oil along the Colorado River.

The Uinta Basin Railway would connect Eastern Utah with the national rail network. On its website, the company claims the arrangement would be an efficient way to transport goods, but oil is one of the main goods set to be transported along the route.

This is a concern with politicians on local, state and national levels.

The proposed rail will run along the Colorado River. Some are concerned the safety guidelines won’t be strict enough, potentially leading to a derailment similar to a recent incident in Montana. In that situation, train cars that fell into a river only had beer, but officials say a derailment in this area could be much worse.

United States Senator Michael Bennett

The coalition of politicians aspires to persuade the EPA or other federal agencies to step in and stop the project before it progresses any further.