OMAHA, NE, and MIDLAND, MI, /PRNewswire/ -- Union Pacific Railroad and The Dow Chemical Company announced a memorandum of cooperation (MOC), reinforcing the companies' long history of working together to improve safety and security in chemical transportation. The goals outlined in the MOC are consistent with the principles and practices of Responsible Care, which drives continuous improvement in the safe and secure manufacture, distribution, and use of chemical products.
In addition to helping to ensure the long-term viability of both the railroad and chemical industries, the agreement calls for personnel from each organization to work together in a cooperative effort to achieve the eight goals specified in the MOC that the companies have pledged to achieve within the next ten years.
"Both companies serve as strategic links in the chemical supply chain that is critical to homeland security, public health, safety, and welfare and to our nation's economy," said Jim Young, chairman and CEO, Union Pacific. "Our mutual commitments give us a stronger framework for working together by building on new and existing elements of safety and security."
"Safety and security are the foremost priorities and are part of Dow's commitment to setting the standard for sustainability," said David Kepler, Senior Vice President, Shared Services, Environment Health and Safety, and Chief Information Officer, The Dow Chemical Company. "Dow and Union Pacific have a shared vision—to ensure the safe and secure transportation of essential products through each and every community we touch—and are committed to achieving this through our shared efforts."
Union Pacific and Dow Goals Outlined in the Memorandum of Cooperation:
TRANSCAER: By 2012, our goal is to provide improved community awareness and emergency preparedness along highly hazardous chemical transportation routes, by providing communities with a significantly enhanced outreach, education, and training initiative in coordination with national, regional, and state TRANSCAER programs.
Improved Shipment Visibility: By 2010, our goal is to provide for improved safety, security, and emergency response through continuous surveillance of highly hazardous chemical shipments by installing global positioning satellite units and appropriate sensor technologies on all highly hazardous chemical tank cars, reducing the time these cars are unattended in transit.
Next Generation Rail Tank Car: By 2017, our goal is to develop and implement a new rail tank car design for the transportation of highly hazardous chemicals, achieving a significant increase in the safe and secure performance over existing fleets.
Supply Chain Design: By 2015, our goal is to reduce the shipment of highly hazardous chemicals by 50%, while continuing to meet the needs of the marketplace and reducing overall risk.
Elimination of Nonaccidental Releases: By 2010, our goal is to drive nonaccidental releases of hazard materials to zero.
Deployment of Communication-Based Train Control and Anti-Collision Systems: Our goal is to deploy technology that helps us eliminate collisions on main line track pending FRA approvals and the success of two pilot projects, that begin in 2007.
Movement in High-Threat Urban Areas: By 2015, our goal is to reduce the dwell time of highly hazardous chemical shipments in transit in high-threat urban areas by 50%.
Accident Prevention: By 2015, our goal is to achieve a 50% improvement in hazardous material rail operations safety. This will be accomplished through targeted initiatives, such as maintenance and operating improvements.
For more information, please visit the Union Pacific Railroad Web site or The Dow Chemical Company Web site.
About Union Pacific
Union Pacific Corp. owns one of America's leading transportation companies. Its principal operating company, Union Pacific Railroad, links 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country and serves the fastest-growing U.S. population centers. Union Pacific's diversified business mix includes agricultural products, automotive, chemicals, energy, industrial products, and intermodal. The railroad offers competitive long-haul routes from all major west coast and Gulf coast ports to eastern gateways. Union Pacific connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major gateways to Mexico, making it North America's premier rail franchise. Union Pacific is an active partner in the American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care Program.
About The Dow Chemical Company
Dow is a diversified chemical company that harnesses the power of innovation, science, and technology to constantly improve what is essential to human progress. The company offers a broad range of products and services to customers in more than 175 countries, helping them to provide everything from fresh water, food, and pharmaceuticals to paints, packaging, and personal-care products. Built on a commitment to its principles of sustainability, Dow has annual sales of $49 billion and employs 43,000 people worldwide. References to "Dow" or the "company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found on the company's Web site.