(The following story by Keith Benman appeared on the Munster Times website on January 12.)
MUNSTER, Ind. — Northwest Indiana and south suburban residents will be able to address Canadian National Railway Co.’s proposed purchase of the EJ&E Railway at two meetings next week.
The federal Surface Transportation Board will conduct the hearings in Gary and Matteson, Ill., as the first step in preparing an environmental impact statement.
Safety at crossings, effect on commuter trains, hazardous materials handling, air pollution and environmental justice all are fair game for comment.
The purchase would pull CN rail traffic out of Chicago’s urban core and put it on the EJ&E, a move that would increase rail traffic threefold in some suburban communities such as Dyer, Schererville and Chicago Heights.
Other communities, such as Lansing and Munster, would see a decrease in traffic, because trains would be shifted off the CN main lines that run into Chicago.
In late September, CN announced it had an agreement to buy the bulk of the EJ&E for $300 million, leaving a small portion of the railroad in the hands of current owner U.S. Steel Corp.
People can prepare written comments or have oral comments recorded by a court reporter at the hearings. Staff from the Surface Transportation Board’s environmental analysis section will be available to answer questions and take notes on comments.
The Surface Transportation Board also is conducting a separate review of the economic impacts of CN’s purchase of the EJ&E. More than 100 parties, ranging from small communities to major steel companies, already have issued notices of intent they intend to participate in that process.
The proposed purchase also has raised concern about the future of major economic development projects such as the expansion of the Gary/Chicago International Airport and the South Shore extension to Lowell and Valparaiso.
Hearings on Canadian National’s proposed purchase of the EJ&E will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. in each of the following communities on the following dates:
Tuesday
Matteson, Ill.
Holiday Inn, 500 Holiday Plaza Drive
Wednesday
Gary
Genesis Convention Center, One Genesis Center Plaza
Jan. 22
Chicago
Crowne Plaza Chicago, 733 W. Madison St.