Federal Government to Regulate Railroad Hours of Service and Increase Focus on Safety Risk Reduction

For the first time ever the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will have authority to regulate railroad worker hours of service and will provide greater focus on risk reduction to improve safety in the railroad industry under a rail safety reauthorization bill submitted to Congress in mid February, announced FRA Administrator Joseph H. Boardman. “Railroads must be more accountable for the safety of their operations and rail employees need work schedules that reduce fatigue and promote safety,” Boardman said, noting that the bill will reauthorize the federal rail safety program through 2011. Under the proposal, the FRA Railroad Safety Advisory Committee, made up of railroad management, labor representatives and other key stakeholders, will review the issue and develop recommendations on new hours of service limits based on current, sound science before any changes are made. FRA's 2007 Rail Safety Bill is located online at http://www.fra.dot.gov/Downloads/Counsel/legislation/2007RailSafetyBill.pdf.

Surface Transportation Security Bills Introduced; Provide $6.1 Billion

Two House committees are moving in largely the same direction on parallel bills to bolster public transportation, rail, and over-the-road bus security with plans to authorize more than $6 billion in grants. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar (D-Minnesota.) introduced the "Rail and Public Transportation Security Act of 2007" (H.R. 1269) late March 1 on the same day that a House Homeland Security Committee subcommittee approved a similar bill. The only major difference between the bills involves which agency--Department of Homeland Security or Department of Transportation--will dole out the cash. "Tragically, transit and rail systems have long been popular targets of terrorist attacks worldwide," Oberstar said. "From 1991 to 2001, 42 percent of all terrorist incidents were carried out on rail systems or buses. Recent tragic events show that these threats continue." He said that last year the federal government invested $4.7 billion in aviation security improvements, while spending $136 million on transit and rail security, even though five times as many people take trains as planes every day. The legislation authorizes $3.3 billion for transit security including spending of $775 million in fiscal year 2008, $825 million in FY 2009, $880 million in FY 2010, and $880 million in FY 2011.   NCSL’s surface transportation policy is located online at http://www.ncsl.org/statefed/transportation.htm#surfacetrans.

Secretary Peters Announces Nearly $113 Million in Emergency Relief To 10 States 

Ten states will receive more than $112.7 million in federal emergency relief grants to cover costs of repairs to highways damaged by rain or flooding in one of the wettest winters on record, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said last week. "Getting highways back in shape after storms is crucial to a healthy transportation system," said Peters. “These funds will help millions of motorists travel safely.” Through its Emergency Relief program, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration reimburses states for expenses associated with emergency situations. The projects paid for by the funds include rebuilding or replacing damaged bridges, highways, lighting, guardrails and signs, creating detours and debris removal.  The states receiving emergency relief funds include Alaska, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oregon and Washington. 

DHS Releases Draft REAL ID Regulations as NCSL Counts Down to Deadline

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced draft regulations in the form of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to establish minimum standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and identification cards in accordance with the REAL ID Act of 2005. NCSL has added two new links in monitoring the latest REAL ID developments.  Information regarding the DHS draft regulations, a database of up to date state tracking and other REAL ID information can be found on NCSL’s website at http://www.ncsl.org/realid/.

Committee Plans for 2007 Spring Forum – States and the New Congress: The Changing Political Terrain

There is still time to register for the  NCSL 2007 Spring Forum online at http://www.ncsl.org/forum/registration.htm.  The Spring Forum will be held April 19-21 in Washington, D.C.   The Standing Committee on Transportation will be looking at hazardous material transportation, the impact of emergencies on the transportation system and providing updates on rail transportation issues.   For more information, including the preliminary agenda, please visit http://www.ncsl.org/standcomm/sctran/transpringforumagen07.htm.