CN has reached a voluntary mitigation agreement (VMA) with the Village of Lake Zurich, Ill., its 20th VMA related to the acquisition of the former Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Company (EJ&E). This latest VMA will provide funding for rail noise mitigation, maintenance of an existing quiet zone, emergency response training, safety initiatives, and improved communication, among other things.
In compliance with the Surface Transportation Board's Dec. 24, 2008, decision approving the EJ&E transaction, CN files monthly operational and quarterly environmental reports at the board with updates on the status of implementation of the environmental mitigation measures imposed by the agency.
CN completed its EJ&E acquisition on Jan. 31, 2009, and, while traffic volumes overall remain down because of general economic conditions, CN has rerouted a limited number of its trains over the line. CN expects that full integration of the CN and EJ&E networks will be accomplished within three years.