(The following story by Marni Pyke appeared on the Daily Herald website on August 1, 2009.)
CHICAGO — Hoping to get more traction the second time around, U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean reintroduced legislation last week to force federal authorities to give more weight to local concerns when considering railway mergers.
The move comes seven months after the U.S. Surface Transportation Board ruled in December that the Canadian National Railway could purchase the smaller EJ&E railroad.
CN’s intent is to move more freight trains from its lines in Chicago and nearby suburbs onto the less-congested EJ&E, which stretches between Waukegan and Gary, Ind.
Towns that would get fewer trains were pitted against municipalities slated to gain freights causing a bitter split that also divided the region’s congressional delegation.
The Taking Responsible Action for Community Safety Act would require the STB to consider the safety and environmental impact of rail mergers on local communities. Right now the board’s mandate is to primarily consider how railroad mergers affect competition. The board ruled in December that CN’s purchase was in the best interests of the region.
Bean’s legislation died in the House of Representatives last September. The current version has moved on to the House Infrastructure and Transportation Committee.