Comment EI-13944
Received or sent (printed as 9/29/2008)
Dear Ms. Johnson-Ball, While researching the Canadian National Railway purchase of E.J.&E. Railway (Finance Docket No. 35087) and reading the Surface Transportation Board’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, I found some very disturbing facts. Almost every point the DEIS considers a benefit for moving the trains off the existing line, is countered in the next sentence by an adverse impact to the new freight line. More accidents, more pollution, more congestion, more vibration, more noise, more…more…more. Proponents of the transaction talk about how the sale will benefit their communities simply because CN’s problems will be moved somewhere else. Less accidents, less noise, less congestion, less delay all as a result of less train traffic. Why even Tony Arredia, the Mayor of Des Plaines, Illinois agrees. Here is an excerpt from an August 28, 2008 article in the Daily Herald. Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia asked CN officials to attend next week's Des Plaines city council meeting and give a brief presentation on the plan to buy the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Co. He made the request Tuesday when he arrived early to a Mundelein meeting about the proposed sale. Two CN public affairs officials plan to attend the council meeting Tuesday at city hall, 1420 Miner St., Arredia said. The mayor asked for a 5-minute presentation, so the railroad seized the opportunity, CN spokesman Jim Kvedaras said. We're happy to oblige," he said. Arredia backs the deal that he says will bring relief to his suburb, which has more than 30 railroad crossings. The constant trains rolling through Des Plaines "cause havoc among our police, fire and ambulance services," Arredia said. It’s NOT a coincidence he feels this way. His town will be one of the “winners” if the STB approves this transaction. To read the full article, please click on this attachment. http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=230728 We currently have two candidates running for President who allegedly are all about “change.” Whether you agree or disagree with their politics is not the point. This is; the STB is knowingly going to take a very bad situation and simply transfer it somewhere else. Combine all of these negative impacts together, include the fact the U.S. Government and citizenry do not have funds available to pay for mitigation, and then answer this question. How can this be considered the right thing to do? To see the reality of a truly life and death situation, click on this You Tube attachment and PLEASE watch this short video. Imagine yourself on the other side of those train tracks…. waiting for the EMS team.…and they can’t reach you. Imagine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiuXhEKPBog Again, is this the right thing to do? Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Peter Crouch"
Submitted by: Peter Crouch
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/FD-35087/comment/EI-13944 · back to the docket sheet