AAR Lauds Senators Rockefeller, Voinovich Carbon Capture & Storage Deployment Bill

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has announced support for the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Deployment Act of 2010 (S. 3591) introduced by senators John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) and George V. Voinovich (R-OH). Coal is the single largest customer segment for the nation’s freight railroads, supporting one in every five railroad jobs.

“Senators Rockefeller and Voinovich are to be commended for their leadership in ensuring that clean coal technology can be deployed and implemented as soon as possible,” said AAR president and CEO Edward R. Hamberger. “Domestic coal is abundant, affordable, and if this bill is passed, will be even cleaner. It is affordable coal-based electricity that helps power the nation’s economic recovery and supports our global competitiveness.”

Railroads deliver 70 percent of all U.S. coal shipments to their final destinations, moving enough coal to meet the electricity needs of every home in America. It is the cost-effectiveness of freight rail that has made it the transportation mode of choice for moving coal – and today twice as much coal can be shipped for roughly what it cost 30 years ago.

“Rail’s inherent fuel efficiency makes our industry a natural part of the climate change solution – a train can carry a ton of freight 480 miles on a single gallon of fuel,” Hamberger noted. “Support for measures like this, which ensure the future use of coal, also supports the health of America’s railroads and the vital link for businesses all across the country to the global marketplace.”

For more information, visit www.aar.org.