Action Alert

As the probability of a "stimulus" bill increases we want to step up our effort.  The attached paper is being sent by ASLRRA to House and Senate leaders that we think are the principal actors in this process. 

You can help supplement this effort by sending this document along with a description of your shovel-ready project to your Congressman and Senators.

Your description will be enhanced if you give them the following information:

1.  Project location, cost and estimated start date (the sooner the better)
2.  Projected manhours hired to complete project
3.  Benefits to local shippers
4.  $ Value of locally purchased materials (state level or local level)
5.  Permanent hires resulting from project (additional train crews, extra shifts at shipper location,etc.)

Contact Chuck Baker or Jeff van Schaick to arrange for transmitting your document to the right person.  (chuck.baker@cch-llc.com or jeff.vanschaick@cch-llc.com)

As Keith Hartwell indicated in a recent e-mail, the history on these stimulus bills is that all the grant funds go to public infrastructure, mostly highways.  He is particularly doubtful that much if any "earmarking" will occur given all the rhetoric during the presidential campaign.  However, since no one knows for sure how this is going to turn out, better to be in line than not.  He has included potential stimulus ideas beyond the grant funding in case they have the will to help but aren't willing to provide outright grants to private companies.

Without getting you too deep in the weeds, each of these proposals relies on a currently authorized federal program.  At least as of know the Congressional leadership has said they will only include appropriations for programs that are already authorized and which have currently approved regulations associated with them.  Each item on our list meets that criteria.

To view Keith Hartwell's proposal, click here.