WASHINGTON, D.C. – Growth Energy’s CEO Emily Skor issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed a bill to avert a nationwide rail strike:
“Nearly 70% of U.S. ethanol production is moved by rail – more than 400,000 carloads annually. No one wants to see American motorists cut off from a vital supply of lower-cost, lower-carbon fuels so we’re glad to see Congress take the threat of a rail strike seriously and urge the Senate to work quickly to adopt this legislation. The sooner the bill is passed, the sooner our industry can confidently get back to work for American consumers without having to worry about a deeply disruptive, and wholly avoidable rail strike.”
Background
Growth Energy has signed on to numerous coalitions and comment letters urging all parties involved in the negotiations to come to a voluntary agreement. In the absence of such an agreement, Growth Energy and its membership have vocally supported a legislative fix that prevents a destructive rail strike. The ethanol industry ships more than 400,000 ethanol carloads per year (USDA data: Annual U.S Rail Carloads of Ethanol | Open Ag Transport Data (usda.gov)), an estimated 200,000 carloads of distillers dried grains (DDGS), and more than 10,000 cars of corn oil. The ethanol fleet is now more than 36,000 cars (RSI data: Progress – Tank Car Resource Center).