Comment EI-7337
Received or sent (printed as 5/27/2008)
Ms. Anne K. Quinlan, Esq. Acting Secretary Surface Transportation Board 395 E Street, SW Washington, DC 20423 RE: Finance Docket No. 35087 Dear Secretary Quinlan: As a very concerned citizen in mid-Illinois, and a proud railroader for _____ years, I ask that the STB quickly approve CN’s proposed acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway. The role of freight transportation is vital to the well-being of the manufacturers and industries that use rail. In mid-state Illinois, many in the agriculture sector rely on getting their fertilizers by rail, their equipment by rail, and their harvest to market by rail. This traffic crosses several states, and a lot of it comes and goes through the Chicago area. As they all try to hold their own and compete in the global marketplace, U.S. based businesses are faced with plenty of challenges already, many of which they have no control over. Now, a private company has offered to put up its own money and solve part of the challenges the businesses face, but it seems that this effort may be unduly influenced by communities who say that they are fighting it only because they don’t want another train in their community. They are either ignorant of the benefits of a well-functioning transportation system to the businesses that employ their neighbors or simply focused solely on their own desires - either way, the rest of the business world is being denied this improvement in their ways of life. Our government needs to take actions that benefit business, especially as U.S. businesses are finding it increasingly hard to compete. Freight rail service is important to the competitiveness of our businesses and this transaction would certainly benefit business in the Chicago region. I urge the STB to approve CN’s proposed acquisition of the EJ&E as soon as possible. Very truly yours, Kenny Hamm
Submitted by: Kenny Hamm · Mattoon, 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-7337 · back to the docket sheet