For Immediate Release
February 3, 2016
Contact: Maria McElwain
202-224-7028
DURBIN BACKS
MEASURE TO INCREASE TRANSPARENCY FOR OIL-BY-RAIL TRANSPORTATION
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)
today joined U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Jeff Merkley
(D-OR) to introduce an amendment to a broad energy bill to provide more
transparent information about shipments of flammable liquids transported by
railroads, including crude oil, ethanol and liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The amendment would require the Energy
Information Administration (EIA) to collect and publish monthly data about
flammable liquids transported by railroad. The senators introduced the
amendment to the Energy Policy Modernization Act, which the Senate is
considering this week.
“This
kind of transparency will help prevent and mitigate the potentially
catastrophic effects of a train derailment,” said Durbin. “Having access
to timely and reliable information on flammable liquids moving through our
country by rail will help improve both the safety of our rail systems and
public safety as well.”
The amendment would put into law an
initiative the EIA began in March, when it started publishing crude oil-by-rail
shipments. The amendment also expands this initiative to provide the
same information for ethanol, and LNG. The Federal Railroad Administration
recently approved the
first application to transport LNG by railroad, and other
railroads are following suit.
Shipments of crude oil-by-rail and ethanol
increased dramatically over the last decade, and have been
involved in numerous accidents across the country, raising serious concerns
about safety of transporting crude oil, ethanol and LNG by rail.
In response to those concerns, Senator
Durbin cosponsored the Hazardous Materials Rail Transportation Safety
Improvement Act (S. 1175), introduced by Wyden, Casey, and Merkley last spring.
The bill creates a market-based incentive for companies to make the transition
from outdated, dangerous tank cars to newer, safer ones.
The bill also provides funding for safety
training for first responders, and provides transparent information about
flammable liquids moved by rail through local communities.