STB appoints nine to rail energy committee

The Surface Transportation Board yesterday announced the appointment of nine people to the Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee (RETAC).

The new members are:

• Adam Anderson, CEO and general manager of Western Fuels Association Inc., who will represent private rail-car owners and lessors;
• John Bridson, vice president of generation for Evergy, who will serve as an electric utility representative;
• James Grech, president and CEO of Peabody Energy, who will represent coal producers;
• Christopher Hand, director of research for the Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen, who will represent labor;
• John Haysbert, VP of government and institutional relations for Hitachi Energy, who will be a renewable energy sources representative;
• Paul Lang, CEO and president of Arch Resources Inc., who will represent coal producers;
• Vern Lund, CEO of Navajo Transitional Energy Co., who will represent coal producers;
• Dave Slade, chief technologist for Chevron Renewable Energy Group, who will serve as a biofuel representative; and
• Ben Sweat, chief operating officer of POET Biofuels and POET Pure, who will represent renewable energy sources.

The new appointees will serve three-year terms ending in September 2026, STB officials said in a press release.

The STB established RETAC in 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 biofuels.