Full Text of SR0273 096th General Assembly
SR0273enr 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
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09600SR0273 Enrolled |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 273
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| WHEREAS, Many communities throughout the Chicago area have | 3 |
| already begun experiencing public safety issues and serious | 4 |
| traffic congestion due to the acquisition of the Elgin, Joliet | 5 |
| and Eastern (EJ&E) railroad by Canadian National Railway; and
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| WHEREAS, In Aurora, Barrington, Barrington Hills, | 7 |
| Barrington Township, Bartlett, Deer Park, DuPage County, | 8 |
| Hawthorn Woods, Lake Zurich, Naperville, New Lenox, | 9 |
| Plainfield, and Wayne and Will Counties, along with other | 10 |
| communities along the EJ&E line, Canadian National freight | 11 |
| trains have been blocking critical roadways and creating a | 12 |
| dangerous public safety situation for police, fire, and | 13 |
| emergency vehicles; and
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| WHEREAS, The federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) | 15 |
| has the regulatory authority over railroad acquisitions and | 16 |
| mergers and can assist these communities with this urgent | 17 |
| problem; and
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| WHEREAS, The Surface Transportation Board's three-member | 19 |
| governing body has a vacancy due to the departure of board | 20 |
| member W. Douglas Buttrey in March of 2009; therefore, be it
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| RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL |
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09600SR0273 Enrolled |
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| ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge President Obama | 2 |
| to appoint a new Surface Transportation Board member quickly; | 3 |
| and be it further
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| RESOLVED, That we state our belief that this STB member | 5 |
| should be someone who will take into consideration significant | 6 |
| community impacts related to public safety, noise, vibration, | 7 |
| traffic congestion, and other environmental concerns when | 8 |
| evaluating railroad acquisitions and mergers; and be it further | 9 |
| RESOLVED, That we further urge President Obama to choose | 10 |
| someone for the STB seat who has extensive knowledge of | 11 |
| transportation, freight, and shipping issues, as well as | 12 |
| someone who can objectively weigh the benefits of railroad | 13 |
| expansion against the infrastructure costs necessary to | 14 |
| mitigate significant community impacts; and be it further | 15 |
| RESOLVED, That we also urge President Obama to choose a | 16 |
| Board nominee who will consider population growth and economic | 17 |
| impact when evaluating railway acquisitions, mergers, and | 18 |
| other Surface Transportation Board regulatory issues; and be it | 19 |
| further | 20 |
| RESOLVED, That we inform President Obama that the State of | 21 |
| Illinois will, to the greatest extent possible, give | 22 |
| consideration in the programming of railroad funds and |
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09600SR0273 Enrolled |
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| rail-to-road grade separation project funds to projects where | 2 |
| the federal Surface Transportation Board has ordered a private | 3 |
| entity to partially fund improvements necessary to mitigate | 4 |
| impacts at significantly affected grade crossings; and be it | 5 |
| further | 6 |
| RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be sent | 7 |
| to President Obama, the Chicago-area members of the United | 8 |
| States House of Representatives, the Illinois delegation of the | 9 |
| United States Senate, and the members of the Surface | 10 |
| Transportation Board.
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