SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD ISSUES FINAL SCOPE OF STUDY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR PROPOSED CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY ACQUISITION OF ELGIN, JOLIET & EASTERN RAILWAY

[STBNews@xxxxxxxxxxx]

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>From the Surface Transportation Board, Washington, D.C.
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The Surface Transportation Board (Board) announced today that its Section
of Environmental Analysis (SEA) has issued the Final Scope of Study (Final
Scope) for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding the proposed
acquisition by the Canadian National Railway (CN) of the Elgin, Joliet &
Eastern Railway (EJ&E) in the proceeding entitled Canadian National Ry. And
Grand Trunk Corp.—Control—EJ&E West Co., STB Finance Docket No. 35087.
Publication in the Federal Register will follow on Monday, April 28, 2008.


 SEA issued the Final Scope as part of its environmental review process
 under the National Environmental Policy Act.  The release of the Final
 Scope now allows SEA to move forward with preparation of the EIS.  Release
 of the Draft EIS is expected sometime late this summer.


 The Final Scope reflects issues raised, both orally and in writing, by the
 public and the cooperating agencies during the scoping process, and at 14
 scoping meetings held during January 2008 in numerous locations throughout
 the Illinois-Indiana project area.  The Final Scope also takes into
 account all comments received on environmental issues concerning the
 CN-EJ&E proposal.


 The Draft EIS addressing all environmental issues and containing
 recommended mitigation will be made available for public review and
 comment.  A Final EIS will then be prepared reflecting SEA's further
 analysis and comments received on the Draft EIS.  In reaching future
 decisions in this case, the Board will take into account the full
 environmental record, including the Draft EIS, the Final EIS, and all
 public and agency comments received.


 For further information about this case, telephone the Board's toll-free
 environmental hotline at 1-800-347-0689.  Inquiries may be made in either
 English or Spanish.


 The Board issued its Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS and its Draft
 Scope of the EIS on December 21, 2007, and today's notice on the Final
 Scope for the EIS, in STB Finance Docket No. 35087(
 http://www.stb.dot.gov/decisions/readingroom.nsf/WebDecisionID/38996?OpenDocument
 )
 .  The Final Scope is available for viewing and downloading via the
 Board's Web site at http://www.stb.dot.gov, under "E-Library," then under
 "Decisions & Notices," beneath the date "4/25/08."


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