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PURPOSE AND NEED

Why Now?
The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) has submitted an application to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (ADEC) to use herbicides to manage out-of-control vegetation on the 90-mile stretch of track between Seward and Indian as part of an annual integrated vegetation management program. This potentially dangerous vegetation growth has led to an ultimatum from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the regulatory body which governs safety for the rail industry. The FRA says we need to do more to maintain safe operating conditions, or they may possibly curtail or shut down train operations.

Between 1997 and 2008, the FRA has written a total of 947 defects and 74 violations against the ARRC for vegetation safety issues and concerns. In July 2009, the FRA issued an additional 497 defects and 123 violations. Despite railroad efforts to manage vegetation with non-chemical methods, the FRA has noted the “ARRC track continues to get worse.” While the FRA acknowledges our continued efforts to seek a state herbicide use permit, they have informed the railroad that they will no longer ignore the safety concerns presented by the overwhelming overgrowth of vegetation. A copy of the letter can be found on the PDF below:

Federal Railroad Administration Letter to the ARRC Regarding Vegetation Concerns

Vegetation Management Program
The Alaska Railroad has tried to control vegetation along its track with non-chemical methods including mechanical brush-cutting, manual labor, steam and burning since 1983. Despite these efforts, the volume and location of vegetation along the track has resulted in stiff fines from the Federal Railroad Administration, the railroad's federal regulatory agency.

Adding chemical vegetation control to our non-chemical methods would greatly enhance the Railroad's ability to improve safety and comply with federal regulatory requirements.

There are several important things to consider regarding this effort:

-Safety to employees and safe movement of trains is the sole dominant factor with a comprehensive vegetation management program.

-Any weed killers used are regulated and approved by both the federal and state governments.

-Application of the weed killer would be conducted by a licensed, experienced contractor, and railroad employees and the public will be fully informed about chemicals used and locations worked.

-The weed killers have been used for many years, are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, and studies have shown they have no adverse effects to humans, fish, or wildlife.

Employee safety and the safe movement of trains is the dominant factor in developing the integrated vegetation management program. With safety as the number one focus, the benefits of a comprehensive weed control program are:

-Reduce the risk of derailment.

-Help employees to avoid slip, trip and fall injuries.

-Eliminate plants and roots that destabilize the track sub surface.

-Remove brush that can fuel wild fires.

-Maintain safe visual site lines at road/rail crossings Assist efforts to control the spread of noxious, invasive weeds.

-Comply with federal regulatory requirements to control vegetation on the rail bed.