Congressman Krishnamoorthi Formally Requests Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement For Chicago Area From Surface Transportation Board
WASHINGTON – Late last week, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi sent a letter to Martin J. Oberman, Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board (STB), formally requesting the STB to direct the Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) to conduct a supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Chicago area before reaching any final decision on the status of the merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads. This follows Congressman Krishnamoorthi and Senator Dick Durbin's October 4th press conference in Schaumburg requesting a supplemental EIS as well as the Congressman's appearance before the STB to express his concerns about the negative impacts of the proposed merger on many Illinois communities.
"[T]he draft EIS, as written, does not adequately address the concerns that local residents, emergency response teams, Metra, and state elected officials have raised regarding the proposed merger's impacts on noise, emergency response time, commuter rail operations, the environment, and pedestrian safety in these communities," wrote Congressman Krishnamoorthi. "In addition, the draft EIS does not consider the accuracy of the data upon which it is based. Without a comprehensive analysis of CP's projections and their impact on the livelihoods and quality of life of our communities, the Board risks overlooking serious adverse impacts on these communities and necessary mitigation measures to address these impacts."
"For these reasons, and the reasons outlined below, I respectfully request that the STB either 1) block the merger as proposed, or at the very least, 2) before making any further decisions, direct the Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) to conduct a supplemental EIS for the Chicago area because the current draft EIS does not adequately assess the impact on this area. This supplemental EIS should address other feedback on the draft EIS related to CP's data and the Chicago area, while incorporating broader input and data from local stakeholders, agencies, and entities. I urge the STB to only approve the CPKC merger after closely examining the Chicagoland impacts and mandating strict and meaningful conditions for mitigation of significant harm.
The proposed merger between Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern, if approved, would at least quadruple freight train traffic from three to eleven trains, along the Milwaukee District West (MDW) line, running from Bensenville, Illinois to Elgin, Illinois. Additionally, multiple stakeholders— including Metra, Canadian National, and the Coalition to Stop CPKC—have heavily disputed Canadian Pacific's train count projections. The steep increases in freight traffic, as projected, would have significant adverse effects on pedestrian safety, emergency response times, commuter rail operations, and the environment.
To read the letter in full, click here.