On October 30, 2007, Canadian National Railway (CN) filed an application with the Surface Transportation Board to acquire the EJ&E West Company. This website contains information regarding the proposed Canadian National Railway acquisition.

CN is one of Canada's two major railroads. It extends from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Vancouver and Prince Rupert, British Columbia. EJ&E currently operates over 198 miles of track in northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana, consisting primarily of an arc around Chicago, Illinois. This arc extends from Waukegan, Illinois, southward to Joliet, Illinois, then eastward to Gary, Indiana, and then northwest to South Chicago, Illinois, along Lake Michigan, as shown in the image. EJ&E provides rail service to approximately 100 customers, including steel mills, coal utilities, plastics and chemical producers, steel processors, distribution centers, and scrap processors. CN's proposed acquisition of EJ&E would shift rail traffic currently moving over CN's rail lines in Chicago to EJ&E rail lines. Approximately 15 to 27 more trains per day would operate on various segments of the EJ&E rail lines. Click here and you can view what crossings will be impacted the most. The complete grade crossing analysis can be downloaded by clicking here.

For more information on the Surface Transportation Board, please click here. This project fact sheet provides a quick overview of the proposed acquisition and how to submit comments.

Timeline and Review Process

The National Environmental Policy Act process assists the Surface Transportation Board and the public in identifying and assessing the potential environmental consequences of a proposed action before a decision is made. We have provided you with important dates and brief outline of the additional steps in the process used by the Surface Transportation Board. The entire process is outlined in detail here.

October 30, 2007 – Canadian National submitted their application to the Surface Transportation Board to acquire a portion of the EJ&E Railway.

November 26, 2007 – the Surface Transportation Board issued its initial decision. The Board determined the transaction to be "minor" but, also found that an Environmental Impact Statement is warranted.

December 11, 2007 – Mundelein filed a Notice of Intent to participate in the process with the Surface Transportation Board.

December 21, 2007 – A Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement was published.

Draft Scope of Study – A draft Scope of Study is being developed for the Environmental Impact Statement. The draft Scope of Study tries to incorporate the environmental issues and concerns raised in the comment letters received already as well as any potential concerns with regard to any aspect of the review process. Public comments on the draft Scope of Study are requested.

January 8-22, 2008 – Seven public open house scoping meetings were held within the proposed study area to gather information on potential project issues and concerns. Over 2,000 interested citizens attended the meetings. Members of the public can also submit written comments at this stage of the process as well as electronic comments by visiting the Surface Transportation Board’s website. Contract information is provided below. Public comments on the draft Scope of Study are due February 15, 2008.

January 30, 2008 – The Village of Mundelein submitted their official comments on the Scope of Study.

April 25, 2008 - Final Scope of Study prepared by Surface Transportation Board.

June 24, 2008 - The Village of Mundelein submitted additional comments to the Surface Transportation Board  concerning the final scope of the EIS.

July 25, 2008 - Draft EIS prepared by Surface Transportation Board

• Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
• Appendices

August 19, 2008 - The Village of Mundelein submitted their preliminary comments on draft EIS.

August 26, 2008 - STB Public Meeting on Draft Environmental Impact Statement

• Testimony given by Village Administrator John Lobaito
• Joint comments by Countryside Fire Chief Jeff Steingart and Mundelein Fire Chief Timothy Sashko at the CN Public Meeting on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement

September 3, 2008 - Response from STB regarding the 60/83 crossing

• Letter from the STB

September 8, 2008 - Surface Transportation Board Decision

• STB Decision regarding CN's Petition to Modify the Procedural Schedule to Provide a Prompt Final Decision on the Merits Under 49 USC § 11324(d)(1) Subject to a Condition Preserving the Environmental Status Quo Pending Environmental Review (CN-49)

September 26, 2008 - Village of Mundelein comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statement

September 29, 2008 - ICC Comments to Draft Environmental Impact Statement

December 5, 2008 - Final Environmental Impact Statement

December 2008 - Village of Mundelein Signs Agreement with Canadian National.

You can view comments from other groups here. Additional comments will be posted as they are received.

• Northeast Illinois Regional Commuter Railroad - Opposition Statement

• Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning - Comments

• Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce - Statement of Support

• Village of Vernon Hills - Support Statement

• City of West Chicago - Opposition Statement

• Village of Buffalo Grove - Support Statement

• Village of Frankfurt - Opposition Statement

• Wisconsin Department of Transportation - Comments

• Wisconsin Public Service Corporation - Comments

• Gary-Chicago International Airport - Comments

• Village of Lake Zurich - Comments

• Village of Naperville - Comments

ACQUISITION PROCESS

Final Scope of Study – After the close of the comment period on the draft Scope of Study, all comments received will be reviewed and then a final Scope of Study for the Environmental Impact Statement will be issued.

Draft Environmental Impact Statement – A Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project will be prepared to address those environmental issues and concerns identified during the scoping process.

Public Comment – Upon completion of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, the document will be made available for public and agency review and comment for 45 days.

Final Environmental Impact Statement – A Final Environmental Impact Statement will be prepared that will address the comments from the public and agencies.

Decision - The Surface Transportation Board will review the Final Environmental Impact Statement and then issue a decision on the proposed project.

More dates and information on the acquisition will be added to the website as it becomes available. If you would like more information on the acquisition please visit any of the websites provided below. The Village of Mundelein would like to encourage you to become involved in the process and submit your comments to the Surface Transportation Board.

Contact Information

Comments on the draft Scope of Study can be submitted in several ways:

• Written Comments

• Recorded Comments

• Electronic Comments

Please note, submitting a comment will also add your name to the mailing list for notice of the distribution of the final Scope of Study, the Draft EIS, and the Final EIS. This mailing list will also be used to distribute future meeting information as well as any other important information regarding the project. You can be added to the mailing list without submitting a comment by using the same contact information listed below.

Please refer to STB Finance Docket No. 35087 in all correspondence addressed to the Surface Transportation Board.

Written Comments

The Surface Transportation Board encourages broad participation in the process. Written comments regarding the draft Scope of Study can be sent to:

Surface Transportation Board

395 E Street, SW

Washington, DC 20423

Attention: Phillis Johnson-Ball

Environmental Filing

STB Finance Docket No. 35087

Recorded Comments

Comments can be provided to a member of the project team or court recorder at the public open house scoping meetings or by calling the project information line: 1-800-347-0689.

Electronic Comments

Electronic comments can be submitted by visiting the Surface Transportation Board's website, www.stb.dot.gov, under the heading "E-Filing."

Links

EJ&J Construction update - http://ejeupdates.cn.ca/

Surface Transportation Board's environmental review – www.stbfinancedocket35087.com 

Surface Transportation Board - www.stb.dot.gov 

Canadian National Railway Company- www.cn.ca 

Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company - www.tstarinc.com/eje/ 

Barrington Communities Against CN Rail Acquisition - www.fightrailcongestion.com/