WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rich Nolan, President and CEO of the National Mining Association (NMA), today issued the following statement on the potential for a rail service strike and its impact on U.S. mining and the supply chains supported by the industry.
“A rail strike must be avoided, and we strongly encourage Congress and the Biden administration to take action to facilitate resolution. A rail strike could create a debilitating logistics chokepoint for the movement of energy and materials resources essential to our grid reliability and energy affordability, as well as our manufacturing sector and the energy security of our allies in Europe. The U.S. mining industry is the largest user of the nation’s rail networks by volume. Mined metals, materials and energy account for nearly 50 percent of the tonnage moved by rail and nearly 70 percent of U.S. coal production is moved by rail totaling more than 9,000 carloads per day, equivalent to a 100-mile-long train. U.S. Railroads moved 3.3 million carloads of coal in 2021. Ongoing service issues continue to jeopardize coal deliveries, hampering utility efforts to build up coal stockpiles for the winter and ensure the fuel security tens-of-millions of Americans count on. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has warned of unprecedented threats to the reliability of the nation’s power supply this winter. A rail strike would threaten to push an alarming situation over the edge. The nation needs reliable and efficient rail service and it’s imperative Congress and the Biden administration act to ensure a strike doesn’t jeopardize it.”
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