FOR RELEASE
Contact:
Janie Sheng (202) 245-0221
12/17/2014 (Wednesday)
Janie Sheng
No. 14-19
FedRelay 1 (800) 877-8339
www.stb.gov
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD EXTENDS GRAND TRUNK-EJ&E TRANSACTION OVERSIGHT FOR 2 YEARS
The Surface Transportation Board announced today that it has extended for two years the oversight period of the Board-approved transaction in which the Canadian National Railway and the Grand Trunk Corporation (collectively
,
CN) acquired control of the EJ&E West Company (EJ&E) in 2008. The Board
’
s action grants the petition of the Village of Barrington
,
Illinois
,
and the TRAC Coalition (collectively
,
Barrington) to extend the oversight period until January 23
,
2017.
In reaching its decision
,
the Board expressed concern regarding the impacts on the surrounding communities of increased rail traffic on the EJ&E line. In particular
,
the Board noted the connection between increased train traffic and increases in vehicle traffic delay
,
noise
,
and air emissions—as well as a recent spike in blocked crossings on the EJ&E line.
The Board
’
s approval of CN
’
s acquisition of control of EJ&E was originally subject to a five-year monitoring and oversight period to allow the agency to closely examine various impacts of the transaction. In a subsequent Board decision
,
the agency extended the oversight period for an additional year
,
until January 23
,
2015. As part of oversight
,
CN is required to submit to the Board quarterly reports detailing its compliance with agency-imposed environmental conditions
,
and monthly reports detailing its operations
,
including the number of instances a crossing is blocked for more than 10 minutes and average daily train counts on various EJ&E line segments.
Board Member Ann D. Begeman dissented with a separate expression.
Today
’
s decision extending the oversight period was issued in
Canadian National Railway Company and Grand Trunk Corporation—Control—EJ&E West Company, FD 35087
. That decision may be viewed and downloaded at the STB
’
s website
,
www.stb.dot.gov
,
under
“
E-LIBRARY / Decisions & Notices / 12/17/14
”
.
###