Agriculture News#Railroad companies assured Illinois lawmakers at a committee hearing Tuesday that they are investing in rail upgrades to make the system the safest it can be. The meeting happened a day after an Amtrak crash in Washington state that killed three and injured more than 100. (Illinois News Network)
Tag Archives: transportation
DO FARMERS NEED TO COMPLY WITH TRUCK LOG REQUIREMENT?
Beginning Dec. 18, many truck drivers will be required to have an electronic logging device, but with many farmers making only shorter trips, the law provides a variety of agricultural and other exemptions. A trucking association official says it’s best to read the rule carefully and know for sure whether you qualify for one of… read more
RAUNER DECLARES HARVEST EMERGENCY
Gov. Bruce Rauner declared a state harvest season emergency, allowing a farmer with a permit to haul up to a maximum of 10 percent more than the standard weight restriction of the gross, axle and registered weight restrictions. Farmers will need to seek a permit from each authority with jurisdiction over the routes they plan… read more
AGING #INFRASTRUCTURE
More than 230 locks along U.S. waterways are in danger of failing, disrupting transportation which costs a fraction of what rail and trucking costs, according to the Army Corps of Engineers, which estimates more than $70 billion worth of cargo is shipped annually on the nation’s rivers. The Wall Street Journal Wednesday took an in-depth… read more
FEDERAL REGULATORS TIGHTEN RAIL-SAFETY ENFORCEMENT
Federal regulators are enforcing rail-safety rules more stringently, issuing more alleged violations against Amtrak and freight carriers amid worries over shipping crude oil and hazardous chemicals, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
BOND SALE
Without a full budget in place, Illinois plans to sell nearly $500 million dollars in general obligation bonds this month in hopes of funding road construction and transportation projects.
RAIL MERGER REBUFFED
Norfolk Southern rejected Canadian Pacific’s unsolicited acquisition offer, valued at over $28 billion, saying the tie-up undervalues the company and is unlikely to be cleared by regulators.
TRANSPORTATION BILL PASSES
The Senate gave final congressional approval Thursday night to a five-year, $305 billion highway bill on an 83-16 vote, hours after the House passed the measure. Now the president’s signature is the only thing standing in the way of the first long-term bill in a decade. The measure also restores $3 billion in funding to… read more
HIGHWAY BILL
After three weeks of negotiations, a conference committee has agreed on final language of a bill to reauthorize federal highway funding through FY 2020, following more than 30 short-term extensions of the program. Congressional leaders also used the highway bill to reverse a $3 billion cut to crop insurers.
WOTUS RULE
Senate Republicans are forcing a debate over the Obama administration’s Clean Water Act rule this week, while the House could debate raising truck weight limits, another priority for agriculture, as part of a long-term highway funding bill. Check out our Action Request on FarmWeekNow.com.
Posted in Agriculture News
Also tagged #DitchtheRule, Clean Water Act, Congress, EPA, waters of the U.S., WOTUS
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