Comment EI-4482
Received or sent (printed as 1/26/2008)
Dear Ms. Ball, I am very concerned about the proposed sale of the EJ&E RxR to CN. It is my understanding that it is the responsibility and duty of the STB to evaluate the environmental and safety effects of the purchase. I think that there are very serious and pronounced environmental and safety issues. I live on the wrong side of the tracks, literally, if the police need to respond to an emergency at my home. The police would need to detour through two other towns that are not in their jurisdiction to respond. This would entail an approximate 7 miles of rerouting, and I wouldn't even want to estimate a travel time because that cannot truly be measured since motorists would be tying up the road trying to avoid the two roads that would be blocked by the train tracks. I understand that this is the case now as well however the EJ&E only goes by approximately 5 times per day not the estimated 20 -30 that CN is estimating. I live close enough to the tracks to know that the current shorter" trains do stop on the tracks and block the grade crossings a couple times a month minimum. I am not sure if this is due to the Metra tracks that they intersect, but it is the reality of the situation. How many roads will we block with the proposed "longer" trains? Is this worth the safety of our families and children? Not only will it delay emergency response times, school buses have been late many times in just this school year, the community library where children are able to walk to in the safe neighborhood have to walk over these tracks creating an unsafe travel with the proposed increase in traffic. Motorists make unsafe decisions turning around at these grade crossings, and try to navigate through residential neighborhoods to find a through artery. These are people and families that will be affected by this sale, we are not statistics, and we don't want to become statistics either. I am also concerned about the environmental issues. The increased train traffic does increase the amount of pollutants that are pumped into the air along this track. I live in a rural area, 1 acre lot minimums, I moved here to enjoy the deer, coyotes, hawks, owls, etc. How will these pollutants affect the quality of air for my family as well as the wildlife. I followed the track route (via internet map service) and it seems that the track runs through several forest preserves and wildlife sanctuaries. Does this not matter that we would let a company try to reduce their operating transportation costs at the expense of families and wildlife? I know all too well about trying to reduce transportation costs with the nature of our own business, we need to select routes in which villages will allow us to travel because the villages do not want our heavy equipment trucks going through their towns. We respect that, and accept that as part of our business. I think that CN needs to look at putting people before profit. Some things are more important than saving a buck, and it seems to me that human life is one of them. I appreciate your time and consideration in thoughtfully reviewing this matter. I am hopeful that the STB will feel that safety and environmental issues are important as well. Respectfully, Cherie' Hein"
Submitted by: Cherie' Hein
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-4482 · back to the docket sheet