Overhead view of Sacramento

Reps. Matsui, McDermott & Kind Introduce Crude-by-Rail Safety Act

October 4, 2017
Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2015

Contact: Jonelle Trimmer (Matsui) (202) 225-7163
Dan Rubin (McDermott) 202-225-3106
Matt Ullsvik (Kind) (202) 225-5506

Reps. Matsui, McDermott andamp; Kind Introduce Crude-by-Rail Safety Act

Legislation would establish new safety standards for crude transporting rail cars

Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), and Ron Kind (D-WI) today introduced the Crude-by-Rail Safety Act to help protect communities living along America's extensive railway networks. The legislation comes amid growing concerns that current standards do not address the threat posed by transporting oil by rail.

Explosive growth in crude-by-rail transport in recent months has led to increased rail traffic and an unprecedented rise in rail accidentsandmdash;sometimes with fatal results. This issue has affected communities and cemented the need to increase safety standards and accountability. Four derailments in the US and Canada in under a month earlier this year underscored the urgency of action to curb the risks of transporting volatile crude oil.

"Too many of our communities have been devastated by the derailment of a train carrying crude oil," said Congresswoman Matsui. "Enough is enough. With multiple sets of tracks going through our neighborhoods and downtown area, the risk of a derailment in Sacramento is too great to ignore. Comprehensive action must be taken to increase the safety of these rail cars, and it must be taken now. This legislation is an important step to provide broad oversight, increase accountability and implement the most stringent of standards to protect our communities and prevent any more derailments."

"With each passing day we are risking catastrophe in our communities," said Congressman McDermott. "The status quo is a threat to our urban neighborhoods, to our clean waterways, to our transportation network, and to our pocketbooks. Seattle cannot afford to wait for another accident after last summer's derailment. We are long overdue for a coordinated response to this threat."

"This bill takes a big step towards making our railways safer," said Congressman Kind. "The investment in our brave first responders will go a long way to giving them the training and resources they need to keep us safe. I've been calling for a comprehensive approach to protecting our cities and towns from hazardous material rail accidents, and I'm pleased that we've been able to move this bill forward."

The Crude-by-Rail Safety Act would establish new, commonsense federal safety standards for rail cars transporting oil across the country. This legislation:

  • Establishes a maximum volatility standard for crude oil transported by rail
  • Prohibits use of unsafe DOT-111 tank cars, including the removal of 37,700 unsafe cars off the rail network
  • Establishes the strongest tank car standards to-date
  • Requires comprehensive oil spill response planning and studies
  • Increases fines for violating volatility standards and hazmat transport standards
  • Requires disclosure of train movements through communities and emergency response plans
  • Requires railroads to implement a confidential close-call reporting systems

Representatives Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) are original co-sponsors. A similar version of this legislation was filed in the Senate by Senators Cantwell, Baldwin and Feinstein in March 2015.

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