HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Today, Governor Tom Wolf
wrote a letter to President Barack
Obama to express concern and call for action to improve the
safety of transportation of crude oil by rail in
Pennsylvania. Each week, roughly sixty to seventy trains
carrying crude oil from North
Dakota's Bakken region travel through the Commonwealth
destined for Philadelphia or
another East Coast refinery.
"As you know, Pennsylvania is blessed with abundant natural
resources, including shale gas," said Governor Wolf. "The transport
of some shale energy resources, and particularly Bakkan shale oil,
however, raises particularly significant safety concerns.
Pennsylvania sees some of the largest volume of Bakken crude oil
transportation by rail in the United
States, and I am asking for the federal government's
assistance to make sure that transportation of oil by train is
safe. I have already taken actions to address this issue including
holding emergency trainings, participating in meetings with
executives, and tasking my administration to put plans in place to
both prevent accidents and mitigate impacts. We also need expedited
federal regulatory action in several areas along with a greater
commitment to funding inspection and enforcement. We cannot afford
to wait for a major incident before taking action."
FULL LETTER
February 26, 2015
The Honorable Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
As you know, Pennsylvania is blessed with abundant natural
resources, including shale gas. I am eager to attract good paying
jobs to our state as we responsibly develop the gas. Expanding our
manufacturing base and building new advanced manufacturing
enterprises is a key goal as we cleanly use our shale gas for
energy and for feedstock purposes.
The transport of some shale energy resources, and particularly
Bakkan shale oil, however, raises particularly significant safety
concerns. Addressing those concerns is the subject of this
letter.
I am writing to express concern and respectfully ask for your
help to improve the transportation of crude oil in Pennsylvania.
Each week, roughly sixty to seventy trains carrying crude oil from
North Dakota's Bakken region
travel through the Commonwealth destined for Philadelphia or another East Coast
refinery. Pennsylvania sees some of the largest volume of
Bakken crude oil transportation by rail in the United States.
Unfortunately, there already is a long history of incidents
involving trains and tank cars carrying the especially volatile
Bakken crude oil. Among the tragic accidents-to-date is the
derailment that occurred in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, when a train derailed and exploded,
killing forty-seven people and destroying most of the town.
There have also been train derailments and explosions in
the United States, including
recent disasters in Virginia and
West Virginia, where both fires
were managed by allowing them to burn out over several days.
In the case of Pennsylvania, there have been four train derailments
since January, 2014, including 2 within the city of
Philadelphia.
Furthermore, the United States Department of Transportation just
released an analysis regarding transportation of crude oil and
ethanol across the nation. This analysis indicates that,
under current conditions, over the next two decades these trains
may derail some ten times per year and potentially fifteen times in
2015. It also indicates that an accident in a high-population
area could kill more than two-hundred people and cause some
six-billion dollars in damages.
The potential for disaster is too great to ignore. In my
first weeks in office, I have made it a top priority to address
this issue. My administration has begun to take steps to increase
safety and response capability regarding trains traveling through
Pennsylvania. These steps include:
- In our first full week in office we conducted an emergency
table-top planning exercise to model the state's response in the
event of a crude oil train derailment in an urban area. I
participated personally in this multi-hour exercise.
- I have met with executives from Norfolk Southern and have a
meeting scheduled with CSX Corporation, the two top transporters of
crude oil in Pennsylvania, to discuss safety measures that could
lower the risk of derailments.
- I have directed the Pennsylvania Office of the Fire
Commissioner to examine how an oil train fire could be extinguished
if needed to protect public safety.
- We have undertaken a review of the frequency and the procedures
associated with rail infrastructure inspections by federal and
state inspectors.
I will continue to take these and other steps to ensure the
safety of Pennsylvania's citizens. But, the tools and options
available to me are limited. I am therefore respectfully asking for
your assistance in this vital matter. Expedited federal regulatory
action in several areas is essential in better ensuring safety.
First, consistent national standards to reduce the volatility of
crude oil prior to transportation are a must. North Dakota currently is taking steps in this
regard. But we have to ensure all Bakken crude has been treated to
remove dangerous volatiles and is transported under the appropriate
pressure and other relevant conditions
Second, current federal standards have reduced speeds to forty
miles-per-hour in high-density urban areas. It is instructive to
note that recent derailments and explosions have occurred at speeds
less than this limit. I therefore respectfully request further
review of this matter and revisions to the speed limit as necessary
to ensure against explosive derailments.
Third, inspections by government inspectors of rail
infrastructure must be enhanced. In Pennsylvania we have only
six inspectors trained with the support of federal resources, even
though we have some five thousand miles of track, among the highest
in the nation. I request additional federal assistance to assist us
in hiring and training an adequate number of rail safety
inspectors.
Fourth, the current standards for tank cars and braking systems
are not sufficient. Recent accidents in West Virginia and Ontario both led to large oil fires, even
though the tank cars were of new and more stringent design.
Braking systems and tank car standards must be enhanced to reduce
risk.
Finally, the pace of federal rulemaking on rail safety is too
slow. We urge that new federal safety rules be developed and
implemented with a sense of urgency appropriate to the risk
presented.
Now is the time for action in order to increase safety and
reduce risk.
Thank you Mr. President for your personal attention to this
critical matter.
Respectfully and sincerely yours,
Tom Wolf
Contact: Jeff Sheridan,
717-783-1116
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pennsylvania-governor-wolf-sends-letter-to-president-obama-asking-for-federal-action-to-help-prevent-oil-train-accidents-300042866.html
SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of the Governor