CHICAGO — CN has reached a voluntary mitigation agreement (VMA) with the Village of Long Grove, Ill., located approximately 35 miles northwest of Chicago, addressing the municipality’s environmental and safety concerns with CN’s acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E).
With this agreement, CN has VMAs with 23 of the 33 communities situated on the EJ&E in Illinois and Indiana.
CN, which completed its purchase of the EJ&E on Jan. 31, 2009, will provide funding for various measures in Long Grove, including maintenance of an existing quiet zone, and emergency response training and communication.
Jim Vena, CN senior vice-president, Southern Region, said: “CN continues to make progress in negotiating mutually satisfactory mitigation agreements with communities along the EJ&E. We believe this collaborative approach will establish solid, productive relationships between CN and on-line communities in the years ahead.”
CN is also working closely with communities on the EJ&E that do not yet have agreements with CN to ensure implementation of safety and environmental conditions in accordance with the requirements of the Surface Transportation Board.
Integration of the CN and EJ&E networks is well underway, and, as contemplated in the original plan, the Company continues to expect it will be completed within three years of its acquisition of control.
