Resolution 2008-32 STATE OF ILLINOIS )
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COUNTY OF KENDALL )
RESOLUTION NO. 2008-
STATEMENT OF REGIONAL OPPOSITION
TO THE CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY
PURCHASE OF THE Ed &E
WHEREAS, on October 30, 2007, the Canadian National Railway Corporation, along with its United
States subsidiary, Grand Trunk Corporation (collectively, "CN ") filed an application with the federal Surface
Transportation Board ( "STB ") seeking approval to acquire the EJ &E West Company, a wholly owned
subsidiary of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company (collectively, "EJ &E "); and
WHEREAS, regionally thousands upon thousands of people would be negatively impacted by the
overwhelming increase of freight traffic CN plans to run on the EJ &E railroad based on its current projections as
well as the traffic onslaught that would ensue with planned expansion of the Port of Prince Rupert, Canada; and
WHEREAS, area communities are united in a concern that the negative community impacts on safety,
traffic gridlock, property values and overall quality of life along the EJ &E created by this acquisition cannot
now or ever be adequately resolved to accommodate transforming the EJ &E from the equivalent of a small
country road into a rail freight "superhighway"; and
WHEREAS, this purchase would further aggravate commuter gridlock into the future by precluding the
use of the EJ &E for the planned Metra commuter rail Star Line; and
WHEREAS, a business wishing to open or develop in an American community is required to be a good
citizen and make infrastructure investment that integrates it into the community in which it is locating; and
WHEREAS, the cost of fully mitigating the community problems CN would create through its
operations on the EJ &E would run into the billions of dollars and CN has committed to shouldering only $30 to
$40 million of these costs; and
WHEREAS, it is not in the interest of American taxpayers — nor their obligation — to underwrite
mitigation costs for a private business deal that benefits only a foreign corporation; and
WHEREAS, we acknowledge that freight congestion in Chicago is a reality and that fixing this
problem is a matter of careful planning followed by a commitment of substantial dollars to get the job done, and
that this planning has already occurred through a project started a decade ago called CREATE.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the Mayor and City Council of the United City of
Yorkville that:
1. CREATE should be pursued as the regional solution for freight congestion;
2. If it chooses to pursue the acquisition of the EJ &E, then Canadian National Railway should be held
to the same corporate community standards as Amercian businesses are held to in
2008;
3. Until the Canadian National Railway is willing to invest the dollars necessary to alleviate the
problems it is creating in area communities, area communities will stand united in
opposition to this transaction.
Passed by the City Council of the United City of Yorkville, Kendall County, Illinois this as day
of C, U y , A.D. 2008.
'bv-Pu CITY CLERK
ROBYN SUTCLIFF V JOSEPH BESCO V
GARY GOLINSKI ARDEN JOE PLOCHER
WALLY WERDERICH MARTY MUNNS y
ROSE ANN SPEARS BOB ALLEN 1
Approved by me, as Mayor of the United City of Yorkville, Kendall County, Illinois, this as
day of (A 1—y , A.D. 2008.
MAYOR