The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL or League), the nation’s oldest trade association representing US shippers that rely on rail freight transportation systems to competitively ship their materials domestically and internationally, welcomes today’s Surface Transportation Board’s (STB or Board) unanimous Decision in proposing service-based alternative switching and data collection addressing reliability, consistency, and inadequate local rail carrier service. NITL applauds the agency for its bi-partisan efforts on this issue and their eagerness to get to a final rule by the end of the year.
Author Archive for NITL Staff
The CFATS Coalition comprises trade associations and companies regulated by the CFATS program. Coalition members represent major sectors of the American economy, including chemical production, chemical distribution and storage, manufacturing, oil and gas refining, utilities, mining, and agricultural goods and services. The businesses we represent and the goods they produce are vital to the American economy and our quality of life.
The (“CFATS Coalition”) urge Congress to swiftly consider and approve H.R. 4470, House-passed legislation to reauthorize for two years the Chemical Facility Antiterrorism Standards (CFATS) program that expired on July 27, 2023.
The National Industrial Transportation League (“NITL” or the “League”) hereby submits its comments in response to the Federal Maritime Commission’s (“FMC” or the “Commission”) Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“SNPRM”) published in the Federal Register on June 14, 2023. The Commission is proposing to expand the scope of this proceeding to include ocean carrier unreasonable refusals to provide cargo space accommodations, when available, under § 41104(a)(3), and has revised certain proposals included in its prior notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM”) concerning ocean carrier unreasonable refusals to deal or negotiate vessel space accommodations under § 41104(a)(10).
The undersigned organizations are concerned by the growing possibility of a strike by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in their negotiations for a new labor contract with the United Parcel Service. Given the debilitating impact of a strike on American families and the economy, we urge your Administration to provide the support necessary to help the parties reach a new agreement by the August 1 deadline.
The Commission’s notice seeks comments from interested parties regarding an Amendment to the World Shipping Council Agreement, FMC Agreement No. 201349, that would authorize the ocean carrier parties to the Agreement to coordinate the development of cargo screening and inspection processes and tools for hazardous materials shipments.
(Bloomberg Intelligence) — Shippers in Bloomberg’s inaugural poll with the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) expect demand to rise in 2H, yet many remain unsatisfied with rail service, despite recent improvements. The survey included a variety of companies with global operations, with a majority having transportation budgets of more than $101 million and in sectors like food and petrochemicals. (07/06/23)
The Americans for Free Trade coalition is a broad alliance of American businesses, trade organizations, and workers united against tariffs. We appreciate the work that the Select Committee on the CCP is undertaking to highlight and address the ongoing economic and national security risks posed by the Chinese Communist Party. We believe it is important to provide Committee members with additional perspective about how the punitive Section 301 tariffs on Chinese products continue to impact U.S. businesses, workers and consumers. We believe this is especially urgent after the Committee’s most recent hearing – Leveling the Playing Field: How to Counter the Chinese Communist Party’s Economic Aggression during which it was suggested that the Section 301 tariffs have been beneficial to the U.S. economy, businesses, and workers and that they should remain in place or even be increased. For the reasons described below, we strongly disagree.
Our concerns with CPKC’s changes to tariff requirements for shippers of Toxic Inhalation Hazard (TIH)/Poison Inhalation Hazard (PIH) materials on the former KCSR network. Our respective organizations represent major CPKC customers that both ship and receive TIH/PIH materials. To prevent potential disruptions in critical supply chains, we urge you to delay the June 1, 2023, effective date for these tariff requirements by at least 60 days. In an April 17, 2023, notice to shippers of TIH/PIH commodities on the KCSR network, CPKC announced revisions to KCSR Rules Publications 9011-G and 9012 that will become effective June 1. These changes include a requirement for each TIH/PIH customer to take out and maintain a $100 million Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy and to fully indemnify the railroad for any incident that does not arise from the railroad’s negligence or willful misconduct.
While we support efforts to hold China accountable for its acts, policies, and practices regarding intellectual property rights theft, forced technology transfers, and innovation, we do not believe tariffs are an effective approach to eliminating these measures and changing China’s behavior. For the last four years, we have raised concerns that imposing tariffs would have little positive impact on Chinese behavior and disproportionate negative economic impacts on American businesses, workers, and consumers. Unfortunately, that concern has become a reality.
The American Chemistry Council, Corn Refiners Association, National Grain and Feed Association,1 The Chlorine Institute, The Fertilizer Institute, and The National Industrial Transportation League (“Coalition Associations”) file this reply to Joint Carriers’2 petition for stay of the Board’s decision that the final rules for the voluntary arbitration of rail rate cases adopted in the Board’s December 19, 2022, decision in this proceeding (“Final Rule”) will not become effective unless all Class I rail carriers volunteer to opt-in to the arbitration process (the “Arbitration Election”). Coalition Associations do not object to a stay of the Arbitration Election until 30 days after the Board decides all petitions for reconsideration of the Final Rule.
But Coalition Associations oppose a stay during any judicial appeals of the Final Rule because Joint Carriers have failed to satisfy the standard for obtaining that stay. Thus, to the extent Joint Carriers are seeking a stay of the Arbitration Election during any appeal of the Final Rule, the petition for stay should be denied.
