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G_j

(40,366 posts) Sun Jun 8, 2014, 10:36 AM Jun 2014

States balk at keeping oil train info from public

http://bismarcktribune.com/bakken/states-balk-at-keeping-oil-train-info-from-public/article_171f8468-ed41-11e3-a2bd-001a4bcf887a.html

June 06, 2014 1:09 am • By MATTHEW BROWN | Associated Press

BILLINGS, Mont. — U.S. railroads forced to turn over details of their volatile crude oil shipments are asking states to sign agreements not to disclose the information. But some states are refusing, saying Thursday that the information shouldn't be kept from the public.

Federal officials last month ordered railroads to make the disclosures after a string of fiery tank-car accidents in North Dakota, Alabama, Virginia and Quebec, where 47 people died when a runaway oil train exploded in the town of Lac-Megantic.

The disclosures due midnight Saturday include route details, volumes of oil carried and emergency-response information for trains hauling 1 million gallons or more of crude. That's the equivalent of 35 tank cars.

BNSF, Union Pacific and CSX are seeking agreements that the information won't be publicly shared. They said the information is security sensitive and releasing it could put them at a competitive disadvantage.

State emergency officials said communities need to know about the trains and the proposed agreements would violate open-records laws.

"Our state statutes prohibit us from signing," said Lori Getter with Wisconsin Emergency Management. "It will help the responders to make sure they are fully prepared and trained to respond to a potential incident. But it's also good to let the community know."

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States balk at keeping oil train info from public (Original Post) G_j Jun 2014 OP

Inadequate regs; only reguire info for trains w/more than 1 mil. gal. of crude Divernan Jun 2014 #1

The main Union Pacific freight line between St. Paul, MN and Chicago MineralMan Jun 2014 #2

Divernan

(15,480 posts)

1. Inadequate regs; only reguire info for trains w/more than 1 mil. gal. of crude

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 11:17 AM

Jun 2014

Even THESE regulations, which the Railroads are fighting are far from adequate, applying as they do only to trains hauling a million gallons (that's about 35 cars).

We just had a partial derailment of a CSX train at 11 p.m. last night on a bridge over the Youghiogheney River in Southwestern PA. The three tank cars dangling over the edge were, thank heavens, empty. If they had held crude oil, and any of the seams split or were torn, that oil would be going into the Yough, and from thence, downstream into the Monongahela and then the Ohio rivers. Crude oil is the heavy oil which eventually sinks to the bottom and has proven impossible to clean. See the link for a photo.

http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/6248301-74/train-sease-mckeesport#axzz341WGXMbh

There are trains hauling these tank cars along the Allegheny River through the lower part of my town and continuing all the way into Pittsburgh. A crash/explosion/fire/spill there would destroy our drinking water source.

MineralMan

(146,255 posts)

2. The main Union Pacific freight line between St. Paul, MN and Chicago

Reply to G_j (Original post)

Sun Jun 8, 2014, 11:25 AM

Jun 2014

runs two blocks from my house in St. Paul. A four-track crossing is on one of my routes from my home to other places According to reports, there are four trains per day that use this route, and I seem to encounter one of them every time I drive that way. Not really, but on a regular basis. Apparently this route is not used for transporting crude oil, since I've never seen tank cars as part of the very long trains that block my way.

Until yesterday, I really didn't know where the trains I saw were going to or coming from, so I traced the route using Google maps. Most of the rail cars I see are bulk hopper cars and closed box cars, with some container transport cars mixed in. The line serves the main shipping center for 3M in St. Paul, which is why there are four tracks at the crossing. Lots of backing and switching going on on that section of the line, I guess.

I keep the number for the UP maintenance headquarters on a 3M sticky note on my desk, because that crossing's signal is always breaking, failing safe with the arms down. So, I call, and someone shows up and fixes it.

But, no oil tank cars on that route.

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