Two senators call on USDA to analyze grain-by-rail delays; 30 ag organizations call on USDOT to reco

Rail News: Federal Legislation & Regulation 10/3/2014

U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) on Wednesday sent a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack calling on the agency to conduct an economic analysis of the rail-service delays for agricultural products that have lingered for much of 2014. ... The letter cites USDA Deputy Administrator-Transportation and Marketing Program Arthur Neal, who while testifying Sept. 10 before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation stressed the significance of rail-service issues on agriculture producers and grain elevators, the senators said in a press release.
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Meanwhile, 30 national and state agricultural organizations have urged the U.S. Department of Transportation to reconsider and revamp its proposed new rules for tank cars hauling crude oil and ethanol to avoid exacerbating disruptions to rail service. ... The groups voiced support for "practical, feasible and economically viable steps" proven to be effective in further enhancing the safety of crude and other flammable liquids transported by rail, the organizations said in a joint statement.

They called on the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to:
• reconsider its proposed speed-restriction options by more carefully comparing anticipated safety benefits with the significant adverse rail service, rail network fluidity and economic impacts that would result;
• reconsider and modify the proposed schedule for retrofitting or replacing 30,000 tank cars currently in ethanol service by Oct. 1, 2018;
• consider taking a more comprehensive, risk-based approach to the issue of rail safety for flammable liquids by addressing the impact on derailments of such factors as substandard track conditions, inadequate track and/or roadbed maintenance and human error; and
• reconsider the proposal to require electronically controlled pneumatic brakes on certain flammable fuel trains.

"The proposed rule's failure to address railroad track inspection and maintenance is particularly egregious, and should be rectified as part of a more 'holistic' approach to rail safety," the organizations claim.