Comment EI-14189
Received or sent (printed as 9/30/2008)
September 30, 2008 Ms. Johnson-Ball, I understand this is my last chance to voice my opposition to the Canadian National Railway Company and Grand Trunk Corporation’s (CN) purchase of the EJ&E rail line. Like many area residents, I’ve lived both in Chicago and the suburbs. While both sides can argue the pros and cons of the CN deal, one indisputable fact is that Chicago has been better designed to handle heavy rail traffic. Over many years, raised railways and alternative routes have been designed to allow pedestrian and automobiles to deal with Chicago trains as best they could. This was expensive and time-consuming for the City, but the City also benefited economically from the rail traffic. In the suburbs, we are not prepared for this increase in traffic load. Road traffic, business viability, neighborhoods and public safety are all compromised by such a dramatic change in railway cargo. In addition, there would be no offsetting economic gain for these communities. CN has offered no viable solutions to these problems because tackling them properly would make the entire acquisition economically unfeasible. It takes courage to stand up to the multitudes of investment bankers, lawyers and company executives all pushing for this deal. Your job would be made easier by just letting them do it – but it would be wrong. I can’t believe that Congress stood up to Wall Street special interests this week, and I can’t wait to pleasantly surprised by my government again! Thank you for your consideration of my request.
Submitted by: Alex Paul · Long Grove, IL
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-14189 · back to the docket sheet