CHICAGO — CN said it has reached a voluntary mitigation agreement (VMA) with the Village of New Lenox, Ill., located approximately 36 miles southwest of downtown Chicago, regarding its acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E).
With this agreement, CN has VMAs with almost 80 percent of the 33 communities along the EJ&E in Illinois and Indiana.
CN, which completed its purchase of the EJ&E on Jan. 31, 2009, will provide New Lenox funding for the creation of a quiet zone, noise and safety mitigation, communications and emergency response training.
“CN is pleased to have come to terms with the New Lenox on this mitigation agreement, which is the 26th VMA signed by CN with communities on the EJ&E line,” Jim Vena, CN senior vice-president, Southern Region, said. “We believe negotiated settlements like the one with New Lenox will help to establish solid ties between CN and the communities through which it operates on the EJ&E and ensure effective lines of communication in the future.”
CN is also working closely with the few remaining 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.
