Crude-by-rail safety stressed at Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing

Several senators testified yesterday at a hearing held by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development on crude-by-rail safety.

Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) again pressed federal regulators to continue moving forward on a comprehensive plan to enhance safety measures for transporting petroleum products by rail. Hoeven suggests preventing derailments through such measures as positive train control, speed reduction and additional inspectors; mitigating the risk of a fire or explosion by setting new standards for tank cars; and helping communities develop an effective response strategy if an accident occurs, he said.

“A comprehensive approach means everyone has a role – the railroads, the regulators and the shippers, and we have to address preventing, mitigating and responding to accidents,” said Hoeven, according to a press release. “To get that done, we have got to work together and keep the process moving."

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) urged subcommittee members to make needed investments to improve rail safety for passengers and communities.

"We are already seeing changes to make our rail transportation safer, but the Appropriations Committee needs to provide the U.S. Department of Transportation with the resources necessary to make sure that crude carried along the rails is done safely,” she said. “This means that the Federal Railroad Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration must have the funds necessary for an adequate number of inspectors. It also means dedicating dollars to specifically addressing the transportation challenges related to moving energy products where they need to go."

It's clear there is no “silver bullet” to address the challenges of crude-oil transportation — it's a complicated, multi-faceted problem that requires coordination among several agencies within the USDOT, said Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).

"We must be look at three components of addressing this important safety issue: prevention, mitigation and response. This includes everything from preventing derailments by fixing railroad track, minimizing leakage by strengthening tank cars, and ensuring emergency responders and firefighters are properly trained and equipped." she said. "Yet it should not stop there. The Department must work with all railroads, Class Is and short lines alike, the oil and gas industry, as well as state and local community emergency responders to determine a holistic approach to improve safety."

Since much of the rail network is in rural America, there are unique challenges facing small towns that often lack resources to effectively respond to hazardous-material emergencies, said Collins.

Tim Pellerin, the fire chief in Rangeley, Maine, who was invited by Collins to testify before the subcommittee, said haz-mat transportation safety can be maximized if all federal and state haz-mat laws are enforced, regulated and maintained for both the rail and transportation industry; rail shippers and transporters have adequate plans in place to help respond swiftly and appropriately during future major spills or disasters; and realistic plans are developed that work at all levels of response, especially at the local level for both first responders and rail transporters.

Pellerin also stressed the need for integrated, large-scale haz-mat disaster training, such as a web-based program that could reach as many first responders and their aid partners as possible to train for large-scale events in conjunction with each other.

"It is my belief every fire department in the nation is well prepared and ready to handle the everyday common emergencies. However, events such as Lac-Mégantic teach us that we must work hard to prepare, train, respond and recover from future and similar events of this magnitude," he said. "We need to do our due diligence to be sure that whatever future path is taken, it leads us towards tangible results with real, long-term solutions."