CHICAGO — CN announced it has reached a voluntary mitigation agreement (VMA) with the Village of Sauk Village, Ill., located approximately 30 miles south 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 24 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 Sauk Village, including the creation of a quiet zone, noise mitigation, and emergency response training and communication.
Jim Vena, CN senior vice-president, Southern Region, said: “CN is pleased to have negotiated another mitigation agreement with a community on the EJ&E. We believe these voluntary agreements will establish the grounds for positive, constructive relationships between the railroad and communities in the years ahead.”
CN is also working closely with communities on the EJ&E that do not 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.
