Published: November 28, 2022 |

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Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association
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Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association (NMA), issued the following statement on the potential for a rail service strike and its impact on U.S. mining and the supply chains supported by the industry.

“A rail strike must be avoided, and we strongly encourage Congress and the Biden administration to take action to facilitate resolution. A rail strike could create a debilitating logistics chokepoint for the movement of energy and materials resources essential to our grid reliability and energy affordability, as well as our manufacturing sector and the energy security of our allies in Europe. The U.S. mining industry is the largest user of the nation’s rail networks by volume. Mined metals, materials and energy account for nearly 50 percent of the tonnage moved by rail and nearly 70 percent of U.S. coal production is moved by rail totaling more than 9,000 carloads per day, equivalent to a 100-mile-long train. U.S. Railroads moved 3.3 million carloads of coal in 2021. Ongoing service issues continue to jeopardize coal deliveries, hampering utility efforts to build up coal stockpiles for the winter and ensure the fuel security tens-of-millions of Americans count on. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has warned of unprecedented threats to the reliability of the nation’s power supply this winter. A rail strike would threaten to push an alarming situation over the edge. The nation needs reliable and efficient rail service and it’s imperative Congress and the Biden administration act to ensure a strike doesn’t jeopardize it.”

About NMA
America’s mining industry supplies the essential materials necessary for nearly every sector of our economy — from technology and healthcare to energy, transportation, infrastructure and national security. The National Mining Association (NMA) is the only national trade organization that serves as the voice of the U.S. mining industry and the hundreds of thousands of American workers it employs before Congress, the federal agencies, the judiciary and the media, advocating for public policies that will help America fully and responsibly utilize its vast natural resources. We work to ensure America has secure and reliable supply chains, abundant and affordable energy, and the American-sourced materials necessary for U.S. manufacturing and economic security, all delivered under world-leading environmental, safety and labor standards. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the NMA has a membership of more than 250 companies and organizations involved in every aspect of mining, from producers and equipment makers to service providers.

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