12 2 STA T .4957PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 4 3 2 —O CT. 1 6, 200 8andSpri n gf i el d ,M a s sa chu se t ts, t wo of the region ’ sco m mercial, residential, and industrial centers .(7)Ex panded commuter rail ser v ice on the N ew H aven - Springfield line could result in an estimated 630 ,000 additional trips per y ear and 2 ,2 15 ,3 84 passenger miles per year, helping to cur b pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from road vehicle traffic. (8) T he MetroNorth New Haven L ine and Shore Line East railways saw respective 3.43 percent and 4. 9 3 percent increases in ridership over the course of 2007, demonstrating the need for expanded commuter rail service in C onnecticut. (9) Expanded New Haven-Springfield commuter rail service could provide transportation nearly 17 times more efficient in terms of average mileage versus road vehicles, alleviating road congestion and providing a significant savings to con- sumers during a time of high gas prices. (b) S ENS E OF CON GR ESS. —I t is the sense of the Congress that expanded commuter rail service on the rail line between New Haven, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts, is an impor- tant transportation priority, and A mtra k should work cooperatively with the States of Connecticut and Massachusetts to enable expanded commuter rail service on such line. (c) INFR A S T R UC TURE MA I NTENANCE R E P ORT.—Amtrak shall submit a report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc- ture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com- merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and to the State D epartments of Transportation of Connecticut and Massachusetts, on the total cost of uncompleted infrastructure maintenance on the rail line between New Haven, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts. SEC.40 4. LO CO M O TIV E B IO FU EL STU DY . (a) IN G ENERA L .—The Secretary, in consultation with the Sec- retary of Energy and the Administrator of the Environmental P rotection Agency, shall conduct a study to determine the extent to which freight railroads, Amtrak, and other passenger rail opera- tors could use biofuel blends to power locomotives and other vehicles that can operate on diesel fuel, as appropriate. (b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘ ‘biofuel’’ has the meaning given such term by section 9001 of the F arm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U .S.C. 8101). (c) FACTORS.—In conducting the study, the Secretary shall con- sider— (1) the energy intensity of various biofuel blends compared to diesel fuel
(2) environmental and energy effects of using various biofuel blends compared to diesel fuel, including emission effects; (3) the cost of purchasing biofuel blends; (4) whether sufficient biofuel is readily available; (5) any public benefits derived from the use of such fuels; and (6) the effect of biofuel use on locomotive and other vehicle performance and warranty specifications. (d) LOCO M OTI V E TESTING.—As part of the study, the Secretary shall test locomotive engine performance and emissions using blends
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