Fahy, McDonald, Steck call for stricter oil train laws

Steve Barnes

Florence Harbor, who is 85 and has lived on the west side of the railroad tracks in this village for decades, had a stroke in early May. Because a mile-long tanker train carrying crude oil from North Dakota to the Port of Albany was stopped on the tracks, blocking both railroad crossings that are the only regular street access to the neighborhood, the ambulance couldn't get to Harbor's home. Minutes ticked by as the ambulance circled, finally coming in the back way, through a locked gate at the top of the Menand Road hill, where it ends at Route 378.

A new bill introduced by local members of the Assembly would boost the fines for such blockages from $100 per occurrence, as the penalty has been for many years, to $5,000 for the first offense, $25,000 for the second and $75,000 for the third. The measure is one of a suite of bills introduced to address issues related to the transport of crude oil through the Capital Region. Assembly members Patricia Fahy, D-Albany, John T. McDonald III, D-Cohoes, and Phil Steck, D-Colonie, discussed their bills at a news conference Saturday held at the railroad crossing at Menand Road and Railroad Avenue near Harbor's home, which was blocked by an oil train the day she had a stroke.

Harbor has recovered, but the next time she had a medical emergency "We just put her in the car and took her (to the hospital) ourselves," said her daughter Laura Harbor, who lives near her mother, also on the west side of the tracks. "We didn't want to risk a train coming through while we were waiting."

http://m.timesunion.com/local/article/Capital-Region-Assembly-members-propose-stricter-5552915.php