Associations Celebrate Third Year of Short Line Rail Funding

Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association’s (KARA) and Kansas Grain and Feed Association’s (KGFA) legislative efforts in 2020 of including grain shippers and other owners of rail siding adjacent to short line rail in the Eisenhower Transportation Plan have again paid dividends as Governor Laura Kelly announced nearly $5 million for nine short line rail projects in February.

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“When we successfully helped pass this legislation in 2020, we knew everyone would benefit from this program for many years to come,” KARA and KGFA President and CEO Ron Seeber said. “Farmers will see improved rail service to ship their crops and receive inputs to grow them. Rail and shipper employees receive improved safety. Our underserved Kansas communities welcome the economic development of bringing new business and construction to their towns and we experience a decreased need for overthe-road transportation.”

Six SLRIF recipients will use the funds for major track rehabilitation and rail replacement; three projects were awarded funds for siding extensions and storage tracks.

These projects support rail enhancements to expand carload capabilities, reduce truck traffic, increase operating speeds, and improve operating efficiencies.

“These nine rail improvement projects will strengthen Kansas’ agriculture supply chain, connecting our farmers and ranchers to regional, national, and international markets,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “My administration will continue to invest in needed and commonsense infrastructure improvements like these to maximize our state’s economic potential.”

State funding for the nine projects will be enhanced by a 30 percent match from each recipient, resulting in a total rail infrastructure investment of nearly $6.5 million. The program received 19 applications requesting more than $18 million in program funds in this third and final round of funding for the program through IKE, the state’s 10-year bipartisan transportation program. SLRIF made available $5 million each for state fiscal years 2021, 2022, and 2023.

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OSHA Revises Combustible Dust NEP

OSHA has issued a revised Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program (NEP). The purpose of the revised emphasis program is to continue OSHA inspections of facilities that generate or handle combustible dusts likely to cause fire, flash fire, deflagration and explosion hazards.

One of the six industries added to the program that is notable for agriculture is 424510 Grain and Field Bean Merchant Wholesalers. The revised NEP directive replaces the March 2008 directive and remains in effect until OSHA issues a cancellation notice.

It does not replace another similar OSHA directive referred to as the grain handling facility directive, but it may cover operations involving grain processing that are outside the scope of the grain handling directive. Sample citations provided in the directive focus on housekeeping, electrical, personal protective equipment and the general duty clause.

Source: Asmark Institute