Comment EI-5124
Received or sent (printed as 2/13/2008)
This supplements our written comments, submitted at the January 22, 2008 Scoping Open House in Chicago, regarding the proposed CN-EJ&E merger, Docket 35087. We received STB's notice that the deadline for environmental comments has been extended to February 15, 2008. Our environmental concern is the disposition of the Canadian National right-of-way in the Chicago communities of Kenwood, Hyde Park, and Woodlawn (approximately between 39th Street and 67th Street). Under the proposed merger, the CN would be abandoned in this area, as well as others. The South East Chicago Commission's questions include: (1) Will the CN right-of-way be left vacant; will it be put to another use or uses, and if so, what are those potential uses; (2) what public or private proposals or agreements are under consideration, in process, or consummated for the right-of-way; (3) what are the environmental impacts of non-use or any proposed re-uses; (4) are there guarantees of community involvement in planning and implementing those re-uses (Note: we request to be involved in that process); (5) have CN and Metra made any arrangements for Metra to use and/or maintain the abandoned CN right-of-way; (6) if the property is merely abandoned, what agency will be responsible for securing and maintaining it? We realize that much environmental concern has been expressed in connection with increased train movements in the suburbs. We urge that STB also devote environmental attention to locations, such as Kenwood-Hyde Park-Woodlawn, where freight train movements would be eliminated. Submitted Wednesday, February 13, 2008.
Submitted by: Richard R. Gill · South East Chicago Commission · Chicago, 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-5124 · back to the docket sheet