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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Joseph Markosek |
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Markosek meets with congressional delegation to advocate for rail freight
HARRISBURG, Feb. 27 – House Transportation Committee Chairman Joseph Markosek, D-Allegheny/Westmoreland, met with elected officials and transportation leaders in Washington, D.C. this week to discuss ways railways could be used to reduce highway congestion in Pennsylvania.
Markosek spent the day with the Pennsylvania congressional delegation, which
included meetings with 11 congressmen, as well as U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter. He
was joined by state Rep. Rick Geist, the Republican committee chairman. The
seminar, Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, was offered by Go21, a Virginia-based
organization that advocates for solutions to highway congestion, a cleaner
environment and improved quality of life through increased use of commercial
freight railroad transportation as an alternative to traditional highway
transport.
"Rail freight is one of the most efficient and cleanest ways to move cargo," Markosek said. "One gallon of diesel fuel can move a ton of cargo about 460 miles, where that same ton of cargo for that same gallon of diesel fuel can be moved only about 50 miles with trucks. So it's a very efficient and clean way, green way if you will, of moving freight."
Markosek said the seminar also allowed him to talk to his federal counterparts regarding Pennsylvania's own infrastructure needs.
"The federal stimulus package is expected to provide some funding for transportation projects in Pennsylvania, in addition to funds currently generated by Act 44," Markosek said. "This seminar was a good opportunity to discuss what we have been doing at the state level to prepare for that funding, as well as for me to answer questions relative to Act 44."
Markosek said the seminar focused on several federal legislative proposals. One bill would provide tax incentives for rail companies that invest in adding capacity to their systems.
"We know a lot of railroad companies have to invest a lot of their own
money and revenues into their system just to keep it maintained, but for those
that are willing to expand their system, this bill would encourage them to
expand their rail freight lines in Pennsylvania and nationwide," Markosek
said.
Markosek said he advised the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation to oppose
additional federal legislation that would implement new regulations on railroad
companies. Markosek said the bill, which would give the federal government near
total authority over how railroads operate, would cause the companies to
severely limit infrastructure investments and hurt transportation in general.
Before railroads were deregulated in 1980,
many railroads were nearly bankrupt. Markosek said that since deregulation,
productivity has quadrupled and investments in maintenance and capacity expansion
are at record levels.
More information about rail freight and the legislative proposals is available at www.go21.org.
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