New Tank Car Standards Fail to Address Leading Cause of Derailments

WASHINGTON, DC — Following the joint announcement of new tank car standards in both the U.S. and Canada by the Department of Transportation and Transport Canada, Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy, issued the following statement:

“Growth Energy and its members are absolutely committed to the safe delivery of our products to consumers throughout North America. Although we are pleased that this rule begins to acknowledge the difference between cars in ethanol and crude service, we are extremely disappointed that regulators are requiring extensive changes to the ethanol rail fleet, while seemingly ignoring the number one cause of these accidents – broken rails and poor track condition.”

With nearly 70 percent of ethanol transported by rail, today’s rule has a significant impact on the delivery of American-made ethanol. Growth Energy and the ethanol industry have been actively engaged in this process since the outset and provided extensive comments on the proposal last year (attached). We will work to further understand the implications of today’s rule and its impact on the industry.

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About Growth Energy
Growth Energy represents the producers and supporters of ethanol who feed the world and fuel America in ways that achieve energy independence, improve economic well-being and create a healthier environment for all Americans now. For more information, please visit us at www.GrowthEnergy.org, follow us on Twitter @GrowthEnergy or connect with us on Facebook.