Minnesota rail workers pushing for train safety legislation
Apr 24, 2015 video at site Fox9.com
MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Minnesota's rail workers union was in St. Paul
today urging lawmakers at the Capitol to pass train safety legislation
this session.
The union insists the rails are safe right now, but with millions of gallons of crude oil coming thru Minnesota every day... members want to make sure it stays that way.
The union came armed with results from a recent telephone survey that they say shows that rail safety is a big worry for Minnesota residents.
On the top of the union's legislative demands is to make sure there is always a crew of two on board freight trains in Minnesota.
“We've got issues in this industry,” Phillip Qualy, the union's spokesman said.... more here
LETTERS: Safety of ‘bomb trains’ is public health priority
Posted:
So-called “bomb trains” containing up to 3 million gallons of explosive, flammable, hazardous crude oil travel right through Pottstown and the Limerick Nuclear Plant Site. A derailment, explosion and days-long fire ball near Limerick’s reactors and deadly fuel pools could trigger simultaneous meltdowns with catastrophic radioactive releases. Millions of Greater Philadelphia Region residents could lose everything forever.
Days of thick black smoke from a crude oil fire could be devastating. Even Occidental Chemical’s large vinyl chloride accidents (seven-tenths of a mile from Limerick) caused problems at Limerick, according to employees, some of whom are very worried about crude oil train derailments.
Risks are increasing. Emergency responders are smart to be concerned. They shouldn’t be expected to be on the front lines of such devastating uncontrollable disasters....
...Richard Lengel, Pottstown’s Fire Chief, admitted, “If something catastrophic happens, there’s no municipality along the railroad that can handle it, the volume [crude oil] is too great. We just have to hope that nothing happens, honestly.”
Hope is no solution! Neither is denying the reality of our unacceptable devastating risks.....
more here
— Dr. Lewis Cuthbert, ACE President
04/24/2015 By DERRICK NUNNALLY Fire Engineering
Lawmakers reached a compromise on the last day of the regular legislative session to resolve differences between competing versions that earlier cleared the Senate and House.
The Senate voted 46-0 and the House 95-1 on House bill 1449, which now heads to Gov. Jay Inslee for consideration.
"It is a step forward in a meaningful sense," Inslee said.
The compromise includes some provisions that Inslee and Democrats had pushed for, including requiring railroads to show they can pay to clean up oil spills.
It extends a barrel tax on boat-transported oil to railroads to help pay for oil spill response but doesn't cover pipelines. It also does not include marine protections that environmental groups had sought for oil shipments via the Puget Sound.
The bill requires railroads to provide weekly notice to first responders of the type and volume of oil shipped. That information will be made public on a quarterly basis.
"It's no secret to say that one of those chambers and one of those parties are much more solicitous of the tender feelings of the oil and gas industry," Inslee said, speaking of the politically divided Legislature where Democrats control the House and Republicans control the Senate. "And that's impacted what we've been able to get through the Senate."
The bill passed with virtually no criticism in either chamber.
"This bill isn't going to prevent explosions or accidents along the rail lines," said Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island. "But it is going to make our rail lines safer."
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AP writers Rachel La Corte in Olympia and Phuong Le in Seattle contributed to this report.
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