7251-97 Reject Norfolk & CSX Acquisition of Conrail

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RESOLUTION NO. 7251-97 BY: Boscia, Corrigan, Flarmery, George, Roth, Seelie, Smith A RESOLUTION to the President of the United States, the federal Surface Transportation Board ("STB"), local members of the United States Congress, the Governor of Ohio, the Ohio Rail Development Commission and other local officials urging the rejection of Norfolk Southern ("Norfolk") and CSX Corporation's current proposal for acquisition and allocation of the assets of Conrail, Inc. WHEREAS, Norfolk and CSX Corporation are currently proposing acquisition and allocation of the assets of Conrail, and plan to .triple the number of freight trains running through Lakewood and other Westshore Communities; and WHEREAS, the proposal will be brought before the STB in June, 1998, for approval; and WHEREAS, Lakewood has twenty-seven grade crossings in three miles and only otle underpass whereby travelers may cross the City in a North-South direction without rail interruption; and WHEREAS, as Lakewood is the most densely populated community between New York and Chicago, any increase in daily freight train use would create serious health and safety concerns and risks for the residents of the City of Lakewood by significantly interfering with the ability of Lakewood Hospital, its mnbulances and paramedic squads, to directly and timely respond to medical emergencies from any and all causes, whereby minutes in response time can often mean the difference between life and death; and WHEREAS, any increase in daily freight trains will interfere with the ability of Lakewood's police and fire safety forces to directly and timely respond to fires, crime and natural disasters; and WHEREAS, any increase in daily freight trains will adversely impact the ability of all types of coordinated emergency response teams between Lakewood and other Westshore Communities to best use each others' medical facilities and fire and police forces and equipment in a predictable and timely fashion; and WHEREAS, the potential increases in the transporting of hazardous materials raises grave concerns for health and safety in the event of a derailment, which would necessitate the evacuation of residents of Lakewood within 2 to 4 miles of the train tracks, an area that encompasses the entire City of Lakewood; and WHEREAS, as a community of neighborhood schools in which the majority of Lakewood's 9,000 pre-school and school-aged children walk to their school, any increase of freight trains increases the risk to our school children; and ~IT~i~i~ A R an int-~re.~e in daily freieht trains would create environmental concerns due