Report Disregards Resident's Concerns With Railway Acquisition 

WHEATON― DuPage County Board members Pam Rion and James Healy are voicing their concerns about a report issued by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB) that states the Canadian National (CN) should not have to pay for any grade separations at existing crossings should they acquire the Elgin Joliet & Eastern Railway (EJ&E).

Pam Rion (District 6), Chairwoman of the County’s Transportation Committee, believes the report issued on Friday fails to recognize the negative impact this potential acquisition will have on DuPage County residents.

“Neither Canadian National, nor the STB, are taking into account the negative impact this increase in freight traffic will have on our residents, our communities, our environment and our public safety,” said Rion.  “I am very dismayed that the concerns being voiced by our communities are falling on deaf ears.”

James Healy (District 5), who spoke at last week’s public meeting at Waubonsie Valley High School's Gold Campus, notes that the 1500 people who came out to voice their concerns about this acquisition must not be ignored.

“The Canadian National does not care about the impact their increased freight traffic will have in DuPage County and the region, nor do they care about the impact on the residents who live along this line,” said Jim Healy (District 5).  Healy is urging Congressional leaders to put the brakes on a final decision citing Commissioner Douglas Buttrey’s statements regarding the report: “…based on what I see now on the record, and what I saw when I recently visited the affected communities, it is hard for me to imagine how even the most far-reaching mitigation measures would be enough to offset or balance the environmental detriments that would flow from this proposal.”

On April 8^th, at the urging of Rion and Healy, the DuPage County Board passed a resolution formally declaring its opposition to the acquisition of the EJ&E railroad by Canadian National.  The resolution was formally sent to the STB.