U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) held a press conference at Vancouver’s Fire Department Station 10 on Wednesday morning to discuss the need for stronger regulations on crude oil shipped by trains. Cantwell was joined by a number of elected officials, including Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt and area fire chiefs.
Cantwell spoke of the increase in Washington state rail traffic, the volatility of Bakken oil and the Crude-By-Rail Safety Act of 2015 – legislation she helped to introduce that would set safety standards for trains hauling flammable crude oil and provide resources for first responders to fight potential disasters caused by oil train accidents.
“I’ve been speaking with first responders across the state, and they tell me that one of their main concerns is the volatility of Bakken crude,” said Cantwell. “We’re asking that new rules go into place as soon as possible.”
Cantwell introduced the Crude-By-Rail Safety Act of 2015 with Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The legislation requires the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to establish new regulations to mitigate the volatility of gases in crude oil shipped via tank car. It also would immediately halt the use of older-model tank cars that have been shown to be high-risk for puncturing and catching fire in derailments.
