Senators Seek to Boost Surface Transportation Board's Authority
Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), who chairs the committee, and ranking minority member John Thune (R-S.D.) announced their intentions on the eve of a Sept. 10 committee hearing to gather testimony about the extent of rail service difficulties. One of the witnesses will be Jerry Cope, who heads the Grain and Feed Association in Thune’s home state.
Grain shippers have been vocal in their bid to have railroads, particularly BNSF Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway, move stored grain from last year’s harvest to customers so newly harvested crops can be stored safely. The rail agency earlier this year ordered those railroads to submit weekly progress reports, but delays measured by train speed and freight yard delays have persisted.
“While the Surface Transportation Board has made good faith efforts to address concerns of freight shippers and railroads, the current inefficiencies in the STB’s operations are symptomatic of the need for common-sense reform,”said Thune in a statement.
“When the system or its economic regulatory framework breaks down, so does our economy,” Rockefeller said.
The changes the Senators are advocating as part of an agency reauthorization bill include faster handling of complaints and adding two persons to the current three-member board with the goal of making STB more efficient.
Other witnesses include rail and chemical industry representatives.
