U.S. Railways Resist New Oil Transport Safety Regulations

U.S. railways are pushing back against new White House rules that would boost safety for trains carrying explosive crude oil, including 30 mile per hour speed limits, more sophisticated braking systems, and keeping actual crew on all trains at all times. Four major freight lines, along with the Association of American Railroads, warned that the safety provisions would disrupt freight and passenger traffic across the country. One industry submission to the Office of Management and Budget maintained that “appropriate securement and security measures are already in place to ensure safe movement of crude oil shipments,” notwithstanding multiple fiery crashes in the U.S. and Canada over the last year. In related news, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee instructed the state’s Department of Ecology to address rail safety and risk issues related to transportation of oil from the Bakken formation in North Dakota.