KINGS — While Great Lakes Basin Transportation officials work to submit an application to build a new 278-mile railroad line through Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana, a large and growing group of concerned citizens is hosting a town meeting on Thursday, March 23 at 6 p.m. in the Kings School gym to provide information to regional land owners who could potentially be affected by the project.
“The meeting is being organized by people from three states and it will cover topics such as possible road closures, overpasses, barrow pits, rail traffic and eminent domain,” explained Tom Smith. “The current proposed route of this new railroad line would cut through northeast Ogle County and could disrupt many rural land owners.”
Smith added that the path of the proposed rail line would cut through at least 10 counties in three states, including Ogle, Lee, Winnebago, LaSalle, Grundy and Kankakee counties in Illinois.
“The GLBT could move the route up to 30 miles in any direction without further notification, so other counties or land owners could be impacted too,” Smith explained. “The Grassroots Opposition to the GLBT has a data base of over 7,000 and is working on raising funds to help get information out. Local governments and politicians have been on record as not wanting it to go through as it could be devastating to some residents.”
Smith said organizers of the town meeting in Kings on March 23 are focusing on educating the residents and communities of the possible impacts and procedures, and he expects the forum to follow a strict 2-hour format.

“This is an emotional issue and there are a lot of people with concerns who have a story to tell,” he added. “But, the organization is trying to get out as much important information as possible and keep the meeting to two hours, so there will be a specific time outline for speakers at the forum. There will be information tables and sign-up sheets set up in the gym.”
 GLBT officials recently received a two-month extension they were asking for from the Surface Transportation Board for submitting an application on the project.
In a letter to Victoria Rutson, Director for the STB Office of Environmental Analysis, GLBT chairman Frank Patton requested the environmental review process be suspended until Apr. 30. GLBT had originally been given a deadline of Feb. 28 to submit the application.
“We are preparing the required application content for project overview, information on the proposal, operational data, and financial data,” Patton wrote in the letter dated Feb. 28, 2017. “We are holding discussions with potential customers, shippers, and other parties who may file statements in support of the application.”
Patton also indicated the discussions are “expected to continue for several more weeks” and the company is not “in a position to file the application at this time.”
In response to Patton’s request, the OEA granted the two-month extension, acknowledging the GLBT’s discussions are not only necessary for the application, but also for the environmental review process.
Rutson indicated the OEA anticipates GLBT’s application on or before May 1, 2017.
“…The Board is mindful of the need to move forward expeditiously with the environmental review process, as well as the project’s potential impact on affected communities,” Rutson wrote in the letter dated March 3, 2017. “The Board will anticipate receiving your application on or before May 1, 2017. If you are unable to file, OEA will cease all work on the environmental review of GLBT’s proposal, including taking down the project website.”
Kings School is located at 100 First St. in Kings and will hold up to 300 people.
“We are expecting a pretty large crowd, but it’s hard to say,” Smith said. “There is a similar meeting in Kankakee County a couple days earlier as the Grassroots Opposition works to get the information out throughout the three states, so we should get a good idea on how that one goes.”