Rail and Oil Pay to Play in Congress; New Rules Lack Fire Protection

   

Railroads and Oil Companies Deliver Contributions to Subcommittees Overseeing Crude By Rail Legislation

MapLight     by  Daniel Stevens      May 12, 2015

On May 1, the Department of Transportation issued new regulations requiring railroad cars that transport crude oil to meet a new safety standard. The rules will require rail companies to, among other things, stop using the most at risk rail cars by 2018. Safety groups and members of Congress have been calling on the Department to issue new rules for years. Several members of Congress have said that the new regulations are still not strong enough.

Meanwhile, railroads and oil companies have said the new rules will hamper their industries. The two industries have contributed heavily to the congressional subcommittees that oversee the regulation of railroads and that are responsible for legislation relating to the safety of crude oil trains. (Data here )

Campaign Contributions Data: A MapLight analysis of campaign contributions to the principal campaign committees of members of Congress from the political action committees (PACs) of the Association of American Railroads and Class I Railroad companies (BNSF, CSX Transportation, Kansas City Southern, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific); the American Petroleum Institute, and the top five oil companies (BP America, Chevron U.S.A., ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum, and Shell Oil Company) that lobbied about “crude by rail” during the first quarter of 2015. Contributions data source: Federal Election Commission. Lobbying data source: Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.

House of Representatives

• The PACs of the top railroad and oil companies, as well as their trade associations, contributed, on average, 2 times more money ($30,621) to members of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials compared to the average member of the House ($15,244) during the 2014 election cycle (January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2014). 

• During the first quarter of 2015 (January 1, 2015 - March 31, 2015), the PACs of the top railroad and oil companies, as well as their trade associations, contributed, on average, 2.9 times more money ($5,210) to members of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials compared to the average member of the House ($1,808) . 

Senate . ....      more here

New rules for oil tank cars don't offer enough fire protection, experts say

By Richard Wronski    Chicago Tribune   May 15, 2015

When a train hauling volatile crude oil derailed near Galena in March, witnesses said it took about only an hour for tank cars to explode, sending giant fireballs hundreds of feet into the sky.

Authorities said the tank cars survived the derailment intact, only to be engulfed in a flaming pool of oil that leaked from damaged cars and was ignited by a spark. The heat built up so much pressure within the cars that they blew up.

"If we could have stopped other tank cars from being impinged, it would have helped," Galena Fire Chief Randy Beadle said. "But once that first one opened up, we had to let it all burn itself out."

The federal government on May 1 unveiled new regulations aimed at making tank cars stronger to survive such fiery derailments, but critics say the new rules don't provide adequate protection against fire and heat, factors that cause cars to explode.....    more here

also see: 

Two Illinois municipalities challenge new oil-train rules 

 

Amtrak crash occurred near tank cars