Ethanol Tanker Solution for Mayfield Announced

Sen. Bryce Reeves announced today that key players with CSX, Eco-Energy Holdings and NuStar Terminal Operations Partnership have forged an arrangement that would eliminate the need for any storage or distribution point of the ethanol in Fredericksburg near the Mayfield subdivision and that mitigates risk concerns.

Mayfield residents had originally asked for former Sen. Edd Houck to assist with getting the ethanol storage tankers away from their community, but he wasn't able to finish the task before Reeves beat him in the November 2011 election.

Reeves said he met with representatives from CSX and other key leadership to finalize some important initiatives. 

"I am pleased to tell the citizens of Mayfield that a long-term agreement between Eco-Energy Holdings, Inc. and NuStar Terminals Operations Partnership L.P. have partnered together to develop an ethanol unloading, storage and outbound truck loading solution at NuStar’s Dumfries, VA facility," Reeves said in a statement. "Based on this arrangement, NuStar is capable of receiving 96 rail car unit trains via CSX Transportation with a 24/36 hour turnaround time. This arrangement basically eliminates the need for any storage or distribution point of the ethanol in Fredericksburg and mitigates risk concerns. It also allows bio-fuel producers to get their product to market more quickly and more cost-effective."

Once residents learned of the potential danger of what was inside the tankers, they created a campaign to get CSX to move them away from Mayfield. Rev. Hashmel Turner, Willie Holmes and Janice and Rev. Lawrence Davies were among some of the Mayfield residents who kept pressure on elected leaders and CSX officials.

Reeves said that the Mayfield residents have legitimate concerns with the ethanol raol cars and how they were parked so close to the neighborhood that borders the rail tracks.

"With this new arrangement, some of the resources originally allocated will now be redirected to allow for the facilitation of this agreement to work out," he said.

Reeves said he will work with Thelma Drake, director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation,

"Furthermore, as part of these negotiations, and CSX's willingness and desire to be good corporate neighbors to the Mayfield community and Fredericksburg, I am pleased to announce that measures are underway to create an aesthetic buffer device between the CSX rail yard and the Mayfield neighborhood," Reeves said. "In the next few weeks I will be meeting with City officials, CSX, and community leaders to determine the placement of the buffer and work out other details.

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