2008-310 r
RESOLUTION NO. 2008- 31
A RESOLUTION COMMENTING ON THE DRAFT EIS AND EXPRESSING STRONG
SUPPORT FOR PROMPT APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSED PURCHASE OF THE EJ &E
WEST COMPANY BY THE CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY COMPANY
WHEREAS, the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Buffalo Grove desire to
comment upon the Draft Environmental Impact Statement ( "DEIS ") prepared by the Surface
Transportation Board ( "STB ") Section of Environmental Analysis ( "SEA ") and specifically to express the
Village of Buffalo Grove's continuing strong support for the proposed acquisition by the Canadian
National Railway Company ( "CN ") of control of the EJ &E West Company ( "EJ &E ") and use of the
EJ &E rail line to connect the existing CN lines in the Chicago metropolitan region, currently filed as STB
Finance Docket No. 35087 (the "Proposed Action "); and
WHEREAS, by Resolution 2008 -1, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Buffalo Grove
expressed strong support for the Proposed Action as part of the Scoping Process initiated by the STB's
Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS, specifically noting that the proposed acquisition would allow freight
train traffic to be diverted away from the core of the metropolitan area and onto underutilized rail capacity
around the perimeter of the Chicago region, thereby improving the surface transportation system for the
region as a whole, and providing significant benefits to communities along the existing CN lines; and
WHEREAS, having reviewed the information contained in the DEIS, the Board of Trustees of the
Village of Buffalo Grove believe that any costs of the Proposed Action are outweighed by the aggregate
benefits to the surface transportation system, the economy, the environment and the quality of life for the
people of Buffalo Grove and the more than sixty other communities with a combined 4.1 million
residents, which would now see fewer freight trains each day as a result of the Proposed Action; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Action will result in substantial transportation, environmental and
economic benefits to the region and the nation by allowing CN freight trains to move more efficiently
through the metropolitan area. It will be a major step toward unclogging our region's rail system, which
will reduce shipping costs, spur investment and improve the economy. Efficient use of rail also offers an
inexpensive way to improve the environment by reducing fuel consumption and airborne pollutants
caused by the existing regional rail gridlock. Moving more freight by rail also helps to reduce highway
congestion, enhances mobility, reduces the cost of maintaining roads and relieves pressure to build costly
new roads. Moreover, CN's private investment would confer these benefits without the delay and public
funding challenges associated with the nearly - dormant CREATE plan; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Action will result in significant improvements to safety and quality of
life in Buffalo Grove. At present, CN runs the same twenty freight trains per day down the existing CN
line that would be diverted to the EJ &E. Millions of people in towns that abut the existing CN lines stand
to benefit from the reductions in congestion at crossings, decreases in train noise and improvements to
safety, if the Proposed Action proceeds. In particular, the proposal will result in substantially less traffic
congestion and delays at grade crossings — including those at Deerfield Parkway, Aptakisic Road, Half
Day Road and Buffalo Grove Roads in our village, reductions in the overall number of accidents on
existing CN lines and the combined system, decreases in highway congestion and delay at grade crossings
along the existing CN lines, and significant reduction of train noise along the existing CN lines; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Action will advance the interests of environmental justice. For every
nuisance which opponents claim will result from the rerouting of freight traffic to the EJ &E arc, there is a
more than offsetting benefit for communities along the existing CN lines. Buffalo Grove and other
communities along the existing CN lines, which have borne a disproportionate share of the burdens of our
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region's economic activity, would see fewer freight trains each day as a result of the Proposed Action. In
particular, minority and lower income communities and neighborhoods adjacent to existing CN lines,
including several within the City of Chicago, would experience significant reductions in freight traffic,
noise, congestion, and delay. The quality of life and transportation interests of those cities. towns and
neighborhoods, and literally millions of residents who stand to benefit from changes resulting from the
Proposed Action, are entitled to significant consideration; and
WHEREAS, the rerouting of CN freight trains to the EJ &E as a result of the Proposed Action will
free up track capacity for possible schedule enhancements and expansion of Metra's North Central
Service. Necessary and long - overdue improvements to the Metra North Central schedule would address
unmet demands for expanded weekday service and for the commencement of weekend transit, thereby
improving the quality of life in the entire region, enhancing the utility and viability of the North Central
Service and adding value to the substantial, federal, state and local investments which have been made to
capital improvements for that line; and
WHEREAS, the Proposed Action presents a rare and valuable opportunity to create a more
efficient surface transportation system, not only for the benefit of the Village of Buffalo Grove, but for
the entire region; and
WHEREAS, the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Buffalo Grove urge the SEA to
complete preparation of the Final EIS as soon as possible and for the STB to issue a prompt, final
decision approving the Proposed Action, with no more than reasonable and customary conditions.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF
TRUSTEES OF THE VILLAGE OF BUFFALO GROVE, COOK AND LAKE COUNTIES, ILLINOIS
that:
Section 1. The Village of Buffalo Grove requests that the Surface Transportation Board approve
as soon as possible the proposed acquisition of control of the EJ &E West Company by the
Canadian National Railway Company, currently filed as STB Finance Docket No. 35087.
Section 2. The Village Clerk is hereby directed to file a certified copy of this Resolution with the
Secretary of the Surface Transportation Board, to be entered as part of the public comments
applicable to STB Finance Docket No. 35087.
AYES: 6 - Braiman, Glover, Berman, Kahn, Trilling, Rubin
NAYES: 0 - None
ABSENT: 0 - None
PASSED: September 22 , 2008
ATTEST:
Vill ge Clerk
APPROVED: September 22 , 2008.
APPROVED:
Village President
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