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Canadian National Railway’s proposed purchase of a suburban rail line is one step closer to becoming a reality after a federal board released its final report on the environmental impact of the buyout.
The Surface Transportation Board’s environmental impact statement, which was released Friday, said the acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway would reduce traffic congestion and pollution along the existing CN rail lines leading into Chicago, but would negatively affect towns along the EJ&E by increasing delays and pollution. The statement recommended requiring CN to take a number of steps to reduce the negative effects on those communities.
Now that the environmental statement is complete, the Surface Transportation Board could issue its final decision as soon as Friday, Dec. 12. CN is facing a Dec. 31 deadline for the purchase set by U.S. Steel Corp., the EJ&E’s current owner.
A federal appeals court last month denied CN’s request to force the Surface Transportation Board to make a decision before the end of the year.
From the time the proposed sale was announced last year, local leaders have been divided over its merits, although the opponents have been much more vocal than supporters. After the release of the environmental study, critics of the deal expressed their frustration with its contents.
A group of suburban leaders that calls itself The Regional Answer to Canadian National, or TRAC, released a statement saying the board failed to address “core issues for the region.” TRAC includes municipal and county leaders from throughout the region, including Bartlett, West Chicago, Aurora and Naperville.
“Since this acquisition was announced, we have seen an unprecedented demonstration of opposition from taxpayers, communities and our lawmakers in Washington based on the negative consequences that would result from this transaction,” the TRAC statement said. “Yet, it appears these concerns fell on deaf ears.”
U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-3rd District, of Western Springs, a supporter of the acquisition, disagreed with the criticism.
“The (final environmental impact statement) does a good job of being even-handed in pointing out what the plusses and minuses are,” Lipinski said. “Now that the final EIS is out, I’m hopeful the decision will be made before the end of the year.”
While he understands the deal would bring more trains through communities along the EJ&E, Lipinski said the region as a whole would benefit from the purchase. Those towns would not have as many trains coming through daily as the towns along the existing CN line do now, he added.
Canadian National Railway’s proposed purchase of a suburban rail line is one step closer to becoming a reality after a federal board released its final report on the environmental impact of the buyout.
The Surface Transportation Board’s environmental impact statement, which was released Friday, said the acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway would reduce traffic congestion and pollution along the existing CN rail lines leading into Chicago, but would negatively affect towns along the EJ&E by increasing delays and pollution. The statement recommended requiring CN to take a number of steps to reduce the negative effects on those communities.
Now that the environmental statement is complete, the Surface Transportation Board could issue its final decision as soon as Friday, Dec. 12. CN is facing a Dec. 31 deadline for the purchase set by U.S. Steel Corp., the EJ&E’s current owner.
A federal appeals court last month denied CN’s request to force the Surface Transportation Board to make a decision before the end of the year.
From the time the proposed sale was announced last year, local leaders have been divided over its merits, although the opponents have been much more vocal than supporters. After the release of the environmental study, critics of the deal expressed their frustration with its contents.
A group of suburban leaders that calls itself The Regional Answer to Canadian National, or TRAC, released a statement saying the board failed to address “core issues for the region.” TRAC includes municipal and county leaders from throughout the region, including Bartlett, West Chicago, Aurora and Naperville.
“Since this acquisition was announced, we have seen an unprecedented demonstration of opposition from taxpayers, communities and our lawmakers in Washington based on the negative consequences that would result from this transaction,” the TRAC statement said. “Yet, it appears these concerns fell on deaf ears.”
U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski, D-3rd District, of Western Springs, a supporter of the acquisition, disagreed with the criticism.
“The (final environmental impact statement) does a good job of being even-handed in pointing out what the plusses and minuses are,” Lipinski said. “Now that the final EIS is out, I’m hopeful the decision will be made before the end of the year.”
While he understands the deal would bring more trains through communities along the EJ&E, Lipinski said the region as a whole would benefit from the purchase. Those towns would not have as many trains coming through daily as the towns along the existing CN line do now, he added.
“I don’t think the adverse impacts are as great as some people believe they will be,” Lipinski said.
If the deal is approved, the environmental impact statement recommends that CN be required to take nearly 200 steps to offset the effects it will have on communities along the EJ&E.
Among those requirements would be paying 15 percent of the cost of a grade separation at Ogden Avenue in Aurora and another in south suburban Lynwood and avoiding construction on tracks within Pratt’s Wayne Woods Forest Preserve in northwestern DuPage County.
The railway also would be responsible for installing video cameras to monitor train obstructions at crossings near fire stations in Bartlett and West Chicago, and other police and fire departments and hospitals along the EJ&E.
CN also would have to submit quarterly reports to the Surface Transportation Board for five years documenting its progress in meeting these conditions.
