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1997 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 257
Requesting railroad companies having information about coal dust blown from moving trains in Virginia to submit annual reports to the General Assembly.

Agreed to by the Senate, February 4, 1997
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 13, 1997

WHEREAS, in 1992, the General Assembly established the Joint Subcommittee Studying Measures to Reduce Emissions from Coal-Carrying Railroad Cars in response to complaints of blowing coal dust by residents and businesses close to certain railroad lines; and

WHEREAS, in response to the work of the joint subcommittee, the affected railroad companies, in cooperation with the coal companies whose products they transport, were able to identify and employ techniques and technologies that have significantly reduced the amount of coal dust blown from moving trains; and

WHEREAS, although the joint subcommittee has not found legislative action by the General Assembly in this area to be either necessary or desirable at the present time, it is highly desirable that the General Assembly be kept abreast of actions by railroad companies and coal producers that may affect the amount of coal dust blown from moving trains so that timely action may be taken if such should prove necessary or desirable in the future; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That railroad companies having information about coal dust blown from moving trains in Virginia be requested to submit annual reports to the General Assembly. Such reports are requested to be filed with the Clerks of the Senate and House of Delegates and should include information for the preceding calendar year on actions and activities having or likely to have an impact on coal dust blown from trains operating in or through Virginia, including, but not limited to, the number, frequency, and location of complaints from the public about coal dust blown from trains; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a copy of this resolution to the registered agent of the Norfolk Southern Corporation with a request that he forward copies of this resolution to producers so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly in this matter.