Comment EI-14175
Received or sent (printed as 9/30/2008)
Phillis Johnson-Ball Surface Transportation Board 395 E Street SW Washington, DC 20423 RE: STB Finance Docket No. 35087 Proposed Acquisition of the EJ&E Railroad by Canadian National Dear Ms. Johnson-Ball: I am a resident of Frankfort, and I am formally opposing the proposed Canadian National Railway acquisition of the EJ&E Railroad. Environmental Impact If the CN purchase of the EJ & E is allowed to proceed, the impact to surrounding schools, churches and neighborhoods will have devastating consequences. The sound and vibration of thundering, fuming freight trains every 51 minutes will be felt for miles along these tracks. The noise and most concerning, the increased risk of a toxic spill due to the 600% spike in harmful chemicals hauling through town at 45 miles per hour begs the question, “Will the STB ensure that the final environmental impact study addresses the significant negative environmental impact to our community?” The Cost to US Taxpayers The $40 million CN has proposed to spend on infrastructure improvements is a drop in the bucket. Who will pay for the rest of the underpasses, grade separations and projected necessary infrastructure improvements that are needed to support projected population growth. Who will pay for the anticipated decline in property values? If the STB approves this transaction, then CN should be required to pay. Emergency Response Minutes count when lives are at stake. With 28 trains a day, police cars and fire trucks will be forced to wait with their sirens blaring, and considering Frankfort’s population is anticipated to top 55,000, the impact could cost lives. Is Congestion Better in the Suburbs? Moving Chicago’s rail congestion to the suburbs is not an effective solution. Please consider that relocating this problem does not effectively address the issue. CN Safety Record It has been 25 years since the EJ&E tracks in Frankfort have received major repairs. Considering CN’s reluctance to implement Canadian safety measures, and its employees’ “culture of fear,” does the STB expect CN to honor US safety requirements? Please give CN’s safety record your utmost priority when considering this purchase. Respectfully submitted, Blanca Dickinson
Submitted by: Blanca Dickinson · Frankfort, Ilinois
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-14175 · back to the docket sheet