SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD

The Surface Transportation Board today announced the appointment of nine new members to the Board’s Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee (RETAC).  The new members are Messrs. Adam Anderson, John Bridson, James Grech, Christopher Hand, John Haysbert, Paul Lang, Vern Lund, Dave Slade, and Ben Sweat.  All new members have been appointed to serve three-year terms ending in September of 2026.

Mr. Adam Anderson is the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Western Fuels Association, Inc.  He is appointed to RETAC as a representative of private railcar owners and lessors.

Mr. John Bridson is Vice President of Generation for Evergy and is appointed to RETAC as an electric utility representative.

Mr. James Grech is President and Chief Executive Officer of Peabody Energy.  He will serve the committee as a representative of coal producers.

Mr. Christopher Hand is Director of Research for the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen.  He is appointed to RETAC as a labor organization representative.

Mr. John Haysbert is Vice President of Government and Institutional Relations for Hitachi Energy.  He joins RETAC as a renewable energy sources representative.

Mr. Paul Lang is the Chief Executive Officer and President of Arch Resources, Inc. and has been appointed to RETAC as a coal producer representative.

Mr. Vern Lund is the Chief Executive Officer of Navajo Transitional Energy Company.  He will serve the committee as a representative of coal producers.

Mr. Dave Slade is Chief Technologist for Chevron Renewable Energy Group.  He joins RETAC as a biofuel representative.

Mr. Ben Sweat is the Chief Operating Officer of POET Biofuels and POET Pure and is appointed to RETAC as a renewable energy sources representative.

“These nine new members of RETAC represent a broad range of experience in various industries and bring to the committee an intimate knowledge of real-world operations,” said Chairman Martin Oberman.  “It is imperative that the Board bring together as many voices as possible in our stakeholder committees.  RETAC continues to provide a diversity of perspective and I look forward to working with these new members to discuss issues related to ensuring the effective and efficient rail transportation of energy resources.”

RETAC was established by the Surface Transportation Board in July 2007 to provide advice and guidance to the Board, and to serve as a forum for discussion of emerging issues regarding the transportation by rail of energy resources (including coal, ethanol, and other biofuels).  RETAC is comprised of approximately 28 voting members, representing a balance of stakeholders with interests in energy transportation by rail, including large and small railroads, coal producers, electric utilities, the biofuels industry, the petroleum industry, the private railcar industry, and labor organizations.  The five members of the Board serve as ex officio members of RETAC, along with representatives of the Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Transportation, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.  Meetings, which are open to the public, are held at least twice a year.  The next meeting will be held on April 26, 2023.

More information about RETAC can be located here.

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