Evolving rules and labels for Crude-by-Rail

Oil group wants highest-danger label for Bakken rail shipments

Aug 5, 2014  (Reuters) - A U.S. oil industry group is recommending that all crude shipped by rail from North Dakota's Bakken fields be labeled as the most-dangerous type of oil cargo, a designation that could hasten the use of new or upgraded tank cars....

... the North Dakota Petroleum Council (NDPC)...also issued a series of recommendations following the study, however, including one urging oil-by-rail shippers to classify all Bakken crude oil as "Packing Group I" hazardous materials....

Rules for Rail Transport of Crude Oil and Ethanol Still a Work in Progress

8/5/2014 by Pamela Garvie, Stephen Matzura, David Raphael, Cliff Rothenstein  JDSupra.com 

 

In response to rail accidents over the past several years involving crude oil and ethanol, the U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”) has been working with industry stakeholders and the National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”) to improve safety standards for transporting hazardous materials by rail. The most significant step to date is the notice of proposed rulemaking released on July 23, 2014, by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”), called the “Enhanced Tank Car Standards and Operational Controls for High-Hazard Flammable Trains” (the “Rules”).   ..... --good summary follows here