Albany bars crude processing expansion at port

Mary Esch, Associated Press

ALBANY – The expansion of crude oil processing at the Hudson River Port of Albany, which has become a hub for rail shipments of volatile North Dakota crude to coastal refineries in the past two years, will be halted by a moratorium issued Wednesday by Albany County Executive Dan McCoy.

The order requires a health impact study by the county before Global Partners, based in Waltham, Mass., is allowed to add facilities to heat rail cars in order to liquefy thick crude like that mined in western Canada's tar sands. That plan, along with Global's major increase in rail shipments through the city, has drawn intense criticism from port-area residents, environmental groups and local politicians.

"Big Oil is accustomed to getting its way, and today's action could be the first of its kind in the country which signals to the industry they cannot ride roughshod over our communities without consequence," said Peter Iwanowicz, Environmental Advocates executive director.

Scrutiny of crude oil shipment by rail has escalated after several derailment disasters, including one that destroyed much of a town and killed 47 people in eastern Canada last year. Since the state Department of Environmental Conservation approved a permit in November 2012, Global has doubled the throughput of North Dakota Bakken Shale crude oil at its Albany terminal, bringing hundreds of rail tank cars daily through the heart of the city.

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/health/2014/03/12/albany-bars-crude-processing-expansion-port/6353983/