(Source: Surface Transportation Board press release, December 30, 2014)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Surface Transportation Board announced today that it is directing BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) to submit to the Board a detailed description of its contingency plans to mitigate potential inventory shortages for its electric utility coal shippers. The Board’s order responds to a petition submitted by the Western Coal Traffic League (WCTL), in which WCTL members express concern with potential impacts of poor rail service on coal stockpiles and their ability to generate reliable power for their customers.
As BNSF works to address its coal transportation challenges, more specific information on its coal service contingency planning is necessary. Among other actions described in today’s order, the Board is also inviting coal stakeholders to submit status reports to the Board so that the Board can obtain a full range of perspectives regarding coal service.
The Board’s decision today requiring BNSF to submit a detailed description of its contingency plans to mitigate any acute coal-inventory shortages was issued in United States Rail Service Issues, EP 724. That decision may be viewed and downloaded at the STB’s website, www.stb.dot.gov, under “E-LIBRARY / Decisions & Notices /12/30/14 “.