By Alex Benzegala
Panhandle Post
Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts made comments on Wednesday highlighting the efforts of railroads to reduce emissions while supporting the economy.
“In some cases, renewable diesel and biodiesel can reduce carbon emissions by 25%,” Ricketts said. “Utilizing more renewable diesel and biodiesel is a win-win scenario. Renewable diesel and biodiesel are produced from agricultural by-products… Creating value through by-products sustains value for farmers across the country, decreases emissions, and supports renewable refining jobs across rural America."
Ricketts continued by expressing that renewable fuels are the here and now solution to maintain rail efficiency, while emissions can be decreased by 25%.
The deployment of unique locomotive technology (such as all-electric trains) would creative captive fleets that serve small geographic regions, harming the efficiency of railroad operations and disrupting entire supply chains,” Ricketts said. “State and federal regulations cannot put the cart in front of the horse when it comes to reliability and safety.”
Ricketts also said that he has concerns with the current efforts with the electrification of the rail system.
" The deployment of unique locomotive technology (such as all-electric trains) would creative captive fleets that serve small geographic regions, harming the efficiency of railroad operations and disrupting entire supply chains,” Ricketts added.
“State and federal regulations cannot put the cart in front of the horse when it comes to reliability and safety.”