03.15.11

Durbin: Decision on CN Appeal Strengthens Role of Surface Transportation Board

Senator urges construction to begin on grade separations

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement after a federal appeals court upheld a decision by the Surface Transportation Board that requiring the Canadian National (CN) to pay seventy-eight and a half percent of the cost of specific mitigation efforts in Lynwood, Illinois and sixty-seven percent of specific mitigation efforts in Aurora, Illinois – estimated at $68 million total.

 

“This decision finally cements Canadian National’s commitments to pay for grade separations in Aurora and Lynwood,” said Durbin. “The Surface Transportation Board stepped up to the challenge of defending their decision. The court’s ruling today can only strengthen the Board’s power to make decisions based on the environmental impact of increased rail traffic. Now it’s time to build these grade separations.”

 

In February 2009, after learning that Canadian National appealed a Surface Transportation Board (STB) decision in order to avoid paying their fair share of mitigation efforts in Illinois communities, Durbin sent a letter to the STB urging them to vigorously defend their decision and take specific steps to ensure that CN cannot abandon their responsibility to Illinois communities.