This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
4/30/2021
President Joe Biden has nominated Karen Hedlund, former deputy administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), to serve on the Surface Transportation Board (STB).
If her nomination is approved by the U.S. Senate, Hedlund could replace board member and former STB chairman Ann Begeman. Hedlund’s term would expire Dec. 31, 2025.
Hedlund has worked with federal, state and local transportation agencies, and private companies to facilitate financing and development of transportation projects through public-private partnerships.
She was appointed FRA deputy administrator in November 2011 after serving as the agency’s chief counsel. During her FRA tenure, she provided leadership for the administration’s $12 billion high-speed rail grant program, including $3 billion of investments in the California High-Speed Rail (CHSR) project, and $3 billion in improvements to the Northeast Corridor.
Hedlund advised on FRA-funded multistate locomotive and passenger equipment purchases, and on CHSR and Amtrak trainset procurements, including consideration of "Buy America" waiver requests for non-domestic equipment manufacturers.
She also oversaw the FRA’s Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing program, including review of loan requests to finance new passenger-rail systems as well as implementation of positive train control systems for MTA Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad.