Freight

Port of Saguenay opens rail link and intermodal yard

Officials from the Canadian government, city of Saguenay and Saguenay Port Authority marked the official opening of the rail link connecting the Grande-Anse terminal in the Port of Saguenay to the Roberval-Saguenay rail line and of the intermodal rail yard at the Port of Saguenay.

STB releases FEIS for proposed Utah line

The Surface Transportation Board‘s Office of Environmental Analysis (OEA) has issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed construction and operation of a 43-mile rail line between Levan and Salina, Utah. Approval to construct and operate the line is being sought by the Six County Association of Governments’ (Six Counties), an association of local governments located in central Utah.

Rail Summit succeeds again in Chicago

The annual Rail Summit, held in Chicago, Ill., at the Union League Club of Chicago, was well attended by transportation executives and decision makers discussing this year’s theme of the supply chain including railroads, waterways and trucking.

House passes short-term transportation extension bill; APTA says effort a flop

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 2353, a short-term authorization extension that will provide surface transportation funding through July 31, 2015.

The Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015, sponsored by House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), passed by a vote of 387 – 35 – 1. This extension comes after several weeks of failed negotiations to find approximately $11 billion to fund the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) until the end of the calendar year. House and Senate leaders were unable to reach an agreement on offsets for a bill that would extend the programs through the end of the year, which was intended to give Congress time to form a larger tax reform package to pay for a multi-year surface transportation bill.

In a statement, American Public Transportation Association President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Melaniphy said, “We appreciate the U.S. House of Representatives for passing an extension of the federal program for surface transportation funding. However, this extension does not increase funding for public transportation, roads, bridges and rails, it merely maintains the current funding levels of the program until the end of July. It also avoids the May 31 deadline when the program was set to expire.

“It is our understanding that it is likely this action by the House will lead to an additional extension of the federal program which could last until the end of the year. Congressional leaders note that this extension is intended to provide time to secure funding for a long-term bill.

“APTA strongly believes that Congress should expedite its efforts and find a solution that provides for long-term investment in our public transportation, road and rail network. It is crucial that Congress act with urgency to address the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.

“Congress must get focused and use these two months to develop realistic and viable options for a long-term solution to funding the nation’s transportation system.”