Comment EI-23953
Received or sent (printed as 6/20/2016)
Dear Mr. Navecky, Great Lakes Basin LLC is a newly formed Limited Liability Company, that has never operated as a rail carrier, yet seeks to construct the largest rail line proposed in 125 years (with an estimated $8 billion price tag) to provide a by-pass for railroad freight traffic that currently moves through Chicago by which is served by six Class 1 railroads. Frank Patton admitted all he knows about railroads is that he had a model train set as a child. Proposal by Non Railroad Venture Capitalist with no experience, no Railroad has indicated they will use GLB bypass, questionable ability to finance massive rail bypass with no commitments to use it and requests approval of utility corridor not related to railroad use. The Government has spend millions of tax dollars preserving farmland, woodlands and promoting good agricultural practices. Farmers spend thousands of dollars on soil conservation practices. The proposed rail line is counter-productive to these efforts. Home and land owners near the proposed rail and in the footprint of the proposed rail yard will see their home and land values reduced, this has already started to take effect but our tax bills have gone up! The loss of thousands of acres of prime farmland cannot possibly be considered a public convenience. Taking highly productive land out of production for a speculative for-profit project is not in the publics’ best interest. The above provided information is what led me to the conclusion that the proposed GLB project is inconsistent with the public convenience and necessity. It was insufficiently vetted before starting the approval process. I respectfully request that the STB cease work on this project. Individually, or as part of a group, I will fight the GLB proposed plan using all options available, including Congress, my vote at the ballot box and the judicial system. Thank you, Julie Kokos Sumner Township Kankakee County IL 708-426-4180
Submitted by: julie kokos · sumner township resident · grant park, Illinois
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-35952/comment/EI-23953 · back to the docket sheet