Booker Praises New Rules Unveiled By DOT

WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), the top Democrat on the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security — part of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee – today commended the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) final safety rules regarding the transport of crude oil by rail.
“The rules announced today by Transportation Secretary Foxx and the DOT will improve safety and reduce the risk of dangerous incidents on America’s railways. This is a crucial initial step not only for first responders, but for residents who live and work in close proximity to freight rail lines who are watching an ever-increasing volume of volatile substances being transported near their homes and businesses,” Booker said.
“Anyone who was affected by the 2012 train derailment and toxic chemical spill in Paulsboro, NJ, knows how important it is to develop and implement strong, comprehensive rail safety standards. That’s why I will continue my work on the Commerce Committee to strengthen freight rail safety standards beyond this rule but also through comprehensive legislation and ensure our brave first responders have the tools and information they need to take action when incidents occur.”
Specifically the new rule announced today:
• Unveils a new, enhanced tank car standard and an aggressive, risk-based retrofitting schedule for older tank cars carrying crude oil and ethanol;
• Requires a new braking standard for certain trains that will offer a superior level of safety by potentially reducing the severity of an accident, and the “pile-up effect”;
• Designates new operational protocols for trains transporting large volumes of flammable liquids, such as routing requirements, speed restrictions, and information for local government agencies; and
• Provides new sampling and testing requirements to improve classification of energy products placed into transport.
In July 2014, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a final report on the 2012 Paulsboro, N.J. train derailment and chemical spill. The report called for specific improvements in rail safety and information sharing with state and local officials.
Last Aug., Sen. Booker sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx calling for the DOT to quickly address safety concerns associated with the transport of crude oil and other toxic substances on New Jersey railways. Specifically, Sen. Booker requested additional information from DOT as it considered whether statutory changes for improved rail safety were needed. Sen. Booker also asked DOT to lay out which changes the agency could make more quickly on their own and which changes required congressional action to address.
This year, approximately 650,000 carloads of crude oil will be shipped across the country, compared to just 9,500 carloads in 2008. New Jersey is a major passageway for crude by rail, and reports indicate that in Bergen County alone, at least 7 million gallons of oil travel through 11 communities every single day. In 2012, a train wreck released 20,000 gallons of chemicals in Paulsboro, NJ, causing an immediate emergency evacuation and long-term health and environmental impacts.