New Lenox Rail Sense

(Press Release from the Village of New Lenox) 

By Will County Executive Larry Walsh, Will County Board Chairman Jim Moustis and Village of New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann

We applaud the recent news of the Illinois Commerce Commission opposing the EJ&E Railway acquisition by Canadian National (CN) Railway. As the most respected authority on rail issues in Illinois, the ICC clearly understands the direct negative impact it will have on hundreds of thousands of people. While some have decided to give in to this transaction, Will County and the Village of New Lenox continue to vehemently oppose the measure.

Our resistance to the $300 million purchase of nearly 200 miles of track by CN has everything to do with the incredibly negative environmental impact it may have on our citizens. This issue can be spun in many ways to justify the acceptance of such an enormous change in our environment. Some have said we don’t have a legal leg to stand on, but the record of facts and legal proceedings say just the opposite.

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SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD ISSUES FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR PROPOSED CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY ACQUISITION OF ELGIN, JOLIET & EASTERN RAILWAY

December 5, 2008 / Press release from Surface Transportation Board

The Surface Transportation Board announced today that its Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) has issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the proposed acquisition by the Canadian National Railway and Grand Trunk Corporation of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJ&E).

Read the complete announcement

On Friday, July 25, the Surface Transportation Board release STB Finance Docket No. 35087, Canadian National Railway Company and Grand Trunk Corporation - Control - EJ&E West Company; Issuance of Draft Environmental Impact Statement.

Here is the opening paragraph of the document:

“The Section of Environmental Analysis (SEA) is pleased to provide you with your copy of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railroad by Canadian National Railway and Grand Trunk Corporation (Applicants). This Draft EIS analyzes the environmental impacts that might occur if the Applicants were to acquire and operate trains over the EJ&E Railroad, an approximately 200-mile long railroad that forms an arc from the northwest to the southeast suburbs of Chicago, approximately 40 miles outside the city. The potential environmental impacts to both the human and the natural environments that could result from the proposed acquisition are compared to the environmental impacts of continuing rail operations on the EJ&E rail line and the five CN rail lines that feed into Chicago.”

Click here to download the complete study directly from the STB’s Web site.

June 25, 2008 / by Susan DeMar Lafferty / Lincoln-Way Sun

TRAC’s engine appears to be gaining steam.

Frankfort and New Lenox have officially jumped on board, each agreeing to put $10,000 into this regional cause to fight the Canadian National Railroad’s acquisition of the EJ&E Railroad tracks in their communities.

The Regional Answer to Canadian National, TRAC, opposes the purchase, which would dramatically increase the amount of freight and hazardous materials through the area, and tie up key crossings.

Read the complete article

March 26, 2008 / By Patrick Ferrell Staff Writer / Joliet Herald News

NEW LENOX — The village board on Monday authorized yet another study aimed at fighting Canadian National’s proposed purchase of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway.

Trustees approved a $7,000 contract with Hoffman Estates-based Metro Transportation Group to develop traffic projection for 2030 on five key north-south roads that intersect with the EJ&E tracks.

Read the complete article

Press Release / March 20, 2008 

The Will County Board passed Resolution #08-123 (on Thursday, March 20) opposing the Canadian National Railway’s proposed acquisition of the EJ&E, and urging the Surface Transportation Board to deny the CN application.

James Moustis, Will County Board Chairman, said: ”This is one of many local governmental resolutions that has been or will be passed in opposition to a transaction that because of its security, safety, environmental and transportation impacts will cause irreparable harm to our County and the region. I, personally, and the Will County Board look forward to working with [the Village of New Lenox] to oppose and defeat the pending application of the Canadian National Railway Company to purchase the EJ&E.”

Download the resolution

March 1, 2008–A capacity crowd attended a two-hour town meeting in New Lenox today to express concern and ask questions about the pending acquisition of the EJ&E Railway by the Canadian National Railway.

If approved by the Surface Transportation Board, the transaction will result in a dramatic increase in freight train traffic through the village and residents expressed fears about pollution and safety.

Sale Likely to be Approved
New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann assured citizens that the village board and the administration are doing all that they can to make sure that the village is treated fairly (download the slide show: PowerPoint/1 mb PDF/320k).

“We need to be realistic,” said Baldermann, noting that of 251 petitions filed by railroads, the Surface Transportation Board approved 250. “But if it is approved, we are insisting that the (Canadian National) railroad address our concerns at the railroad’s expense.” (Read about possible solutions…)

Summer Hearings
The board will likely hold environmental hearings over the summer and Illinois State Senator Christine Radogno (R-41-Lemont) said she will press for one to be held in the New Lenox region. State Representative Renee Kosel (R-81-New Lenox) discussed a resolution she filed in the Illinois House asking that the railroad be required to meet the most stringent mitigation standards.

What can I do?
“What can the individual citizen do?” asked a member of the audience. Write legislators, attend public hearings, sign up for home delivery of a newsletter and check this Web site frequently for updates, Baldermann responded. (Sign up for RSS feed at the top of this page, or subscribe to our newsletter using the signup box at right.)

Resource
Download the slide show: PowerPoint slide show format (file size: 1 mb) or Adobe PDF (file size: 320k)

Get the latest information about the impact on New Lenox…

New Lenox will hold a town meeting on the impacts of increased rail traffic through the community resulting from the pending acquisition of the EJ&E Railway by the Canadian National Railway.  Public comment and questions are encouraged.

UPDATE: View a report on the meeting, along with photos and the slide show

Saturday, March 1, 2008
10:30 a.m.
Village Hall (1 Veterans Parkway, New Lenox, Ill.)

The meeting will include an informational slide show and a question-and-answer session. Expected speakers include:

• Tim Baldermann, Mayor
• Russ Loebe, Village Manager
• Village legal staff

Illinois State Sen. Christine Radogno and State Rep. Renee Kosel are expected to be in attendance.

Any individual requiring special accommodations as specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act is requested to notify the Village of New Lenox - ADA Compliance Coordinator at (815) 485-6452 at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting date. For more information visit: http://www.newlenox.net/.

Village trustees have also adopted an action plan.

In response to inquiries from the public, The Surface Transportation Board (Board) is providing additional guidance on how to participate in the economic and environmental analyses of the proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company by Canadian National Railway Corporation and Grand Trunk Corporation.

Read the full announcement

The Surface Transportation Board (Board) today accepted for consideration the application of the Canadian National Railway Corporation and Grand Trunk Corporation (together, CN) to acquire control of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E), established a procedural schedule, and announced that its environmental review of the transaction would include preparation of a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Read the full announcement