Page 12 - Flathead Beacon // 9.23.15

NEWS
Railroads Threaten Shutdown if Congress Doesn’t Extend Safety Deadline BNSF, other large railroads tell federal officials that they can’t make deadline for Positive Train Control installation
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
Officials with America’s largest freight railroads, including BNSF Rail- way, have informed the government and shippers they will start curtailing service if Congress does not extend the year-end deadline for the installation of a safety system called Positive Train Control.
Industry officials warn if service is interrupted there could be major disrup- tions across the country’s rail network, including in Montana, which would have a huge impact on the economy. Accord- ing to the Association of American Rail- roads, the U.S. freight rail system moves 40 percent of all intercity freight.
Following a fatal head-on wreck in California that killed 25 people in 2008, Congress mandated that all main line railroads hauling passengers or tox- ic-by-inhalation materials install safety
systems that prevent similar collisions. Positive Train Control (PTC) technology is designed to automatically stop a train before certain accidents occur, includ- ing head-on collisions and derailments due to excessive speed. The legislation required that PTC be installed across the country before Dec. 31, 2015.
Through 2014, railroad companies have spent more than $5 billion on PTC development and deployment. However, the system has only been fully imple- mented on 5,151 miles of track, far short of the 82,042 required by Congress. The technology must also be installed on locomotives and through 2014, only 3,376 were equipped, about 15 percent of the fleet. Despite the delays, Federal Rail- road Administration officials said earlier this summer they would start penalizing railroads that miss the PTC deadline.
Mike Trevino, a spokesperson with
BNSF, said the PTC system is incredibly complex and that it can take months to install and perfect. He said the system has been installed on most of the rail- road’s lines through Northwest Montana but that it is still being tested.
On Sept. 16, the Government Accountability Office, Congress’ audit and investigations branch, released a report saying it was unlikely that PTC would be installed before the Dec. 31 deadline. In July, the U.S. Senate passed a highway-funding bill that extended the deadline on a case-by-case basis, but the House of Representatives has yet to take action on an extension. Because of that, railroads are warning customers to pre- pare for a “worst-case scenario,” accord- ing to Association of American Railroads President Edward Hamberger.
“Congress can’t wait until Novem- ber or December when the clock is about
to run out,” he said. “If lawmakers want to avert a massive disruption of passen- ger and freight transport this fall, which will inflict significant hardships on busi- nesses and passengers alike, it must take action now to extend the deadline.”
Montana Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines and Rep. Ryan Zinke have all sup- ported extending the deadline.
Tester said he was especially wor- ried about how a shutdown could impact Montana’s farmers.
“Montana’s agricultural producers and our economy depend on safe, reliable transportation,” Tester told the Beacon. “We need to implement this new tech- nology, but we should do it in a way that makes sense and doesn’t disrupt service.”
[email protected]
As Cooler Weather Arrives, Grizzly Bear Activity Spikes Concerns are especially high near Babb, where a poorly maintained dumpsite is attracting bears
BY BEACON STAFF
Wildlife managers are reporting an increase in grizzly bear activity and con- flicts across Northwest Montana as the winter denning season approaches.
Between 20 and 30 grizzlies were involved in conflicts throughout the region in recent weeks, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Northwest Montana has the largest pop- ulation of grizzlies in the continental U.S. with over 1,000.
FWP spokesperson John Fraley said activity tends to pick up in autumn as both black and grizzly bears search for larger amounts of food in order to survive
the winter in their dens. Female grizzly bears with young are especially in need of additional food as they nurse their cubs and need the extra calories. Activity tends to continue until bears enter dens during November.
Increased bear activity has also forced the closure of Glacier National Park’s St. Mary Campground.
Just north of St. Mary, near Babb, local residents are particularly concerned about an unmaintained dumpsite on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. According to Amy Royer, a seasonal park ranger in the area for the National Park Service, the dumpsite just a few miles from the park is in “deplorable” condition. When
she visited the site in July there was bear scat nearly everywhere, clear evi- dence that the animals were frequenting the spot. Earlier this summer, she wrote a letter to Blackfeet tribal officials, who have said they are aware of the situation.
Dan Carney with Blackfeet Fish and Wildlife said that in the past his depart- ment has seen numerous bears at the dumpsite and recently had to rescue a pair of bears that fell into one of the dumpsters.
“Once bears start eating garbage like that they’re a lot more likely to start caus- ing problems,” he said. “But the bears are going to be attracted to that site so long as all that garbage is left out.”
Carney said Blackfeet Fish and Wild- life officials were preparing to erect a fence around the site, but the tribe is now planning on eventually installing bear-proof trashcans in the area, so the fence is on hold.
FWP officials are reminding residents to remove food attractants and take pre- ventative measures to limit encounters with bears during this time of height- ened activity. Residents should contact FWP if they have a bear conflict or need information or assistance on securing attractants.
[email protected]
TIRE MAIL-IN REBATE*
ON SELECT SETS OF FOUR TIRES FROM:
*See dealer for details on rebate. Rebate periods are as follows: Sept. 1, 2015 - Oct. 31, 2015
www.eisingermotors.com
Hwy 93 N & Reserve, Kalispell • 406-755-5555 • Open Mon - Fri 7am to 6pm • Sat. 8am to 5pm
12
SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
$100