Friday, July 17, 2015

2 rail cars leaking crude after oil train derails in Montana

From Tuscaloosa News...

2 rail cars leaking crude after oil train derails in Montana

Published: Friday, July 17, 2015 at 4:38 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 17, 2015 at 4:38 a.m.

CULBERTSON, Mont. (AP) — More than 20 cars on an oil train derailed in rural northeastern Montana and at least two of them were leaking crude, authorities said. Some area homes were evacuated.
There were no immediate reports of injury or fire, but of the 21 cars that derailed only two remained upright, Roosevelt County Sheriff Jason Frederick said.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman Michael Trevino said the train was pulling 106 loaded crude oil cars when it derailed near Culbertson near the North Dakota border just after 6 p.m. MDT Thursday.
Police, fire and other emergency responders were at the site of the derailment, which forced the closure of U.S. Highway 2, the region's main artery.
Frederick told The Associated Press that crews were not getting too close to the leaking cars until a BNSF hazardous materials team arrives from Texas.
But he said that there was no immediate threat to public safety.
The sheriff didn't know how many homes were evacuated but described area as a rural setting with ranch homes spread apart.
The Billing Gazette reported that the derailment came only about six hours after rail traffic started moving again after another BNSF derailment further west near Fort Kipp on Tuesday.
Rail officials declined to specify if the train was hauling crude from North Dakota's Bakken oil patch, where growing numbers of shipments have raised safety concerns.
Trains hauling crude from the Bakken region have been involved in multiple derailments in recent years, some causing fires.
U.S. transportation officials recently extended an order for railroads to notify states about shipments of hazardous crude oil shipments.
___
AP writers Thomas Peipert in Denver, Matt Volz in Helena, Mont., and Bob Seavey in Phoenix contributed to this report.

Wednesday, May 6, 2015

A North Dakota town was evacuated after a Warren Buffett-owned oil train derailed and caught on fire

Amanda Macias and Reuters

May 6, 2015, 11:08 AM

The nearby town of Heimdal was evacuated after as many as many as 10 tank cars of a BNSF train came off the rails, local media and fire officials said. There were no injuries, officials said. BNSF is owned by billionaire Warren Buffett.
A photo posted on Facebook by a local radio station showed flames and heavy black smoke from several tank cars that had derailed in a field.
According to KX News, Heimdal is a 40-person town in central North Dakota that is located along one of the main rail lines heading east out of the giant Bakken oil patch.
About two-thirds of all North Dakota oil production is shipped by rail; three-quarters of that oil goes to refiners on the US East Coast.

Google Maps/Amanda Macias/Business Insider
"The FRA has deployed a ten person investigation team to the site and will be conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident," Sarah Feinberg, acting administrator at the Federal Railroad Administration, said in a press statement.
BNSF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The derailment came just days after the US Department of Transportation and Canada's Transport Ministry announced new rules last Friday for oil trains, including phasing out older tank cars, adding electronic braking systems, and imposing speed limits. The measures were all meant to reduce the frequency and severity of oil-train crashes.
The volume of crude oil shipped by rail has rocketed in recent years as production increases from areas like North Dakota outpaced new pipeline development.
A spate of explosive accidents have accompanied that growth, the worst of which occurred in July 2013 when a train derailed in the town of Lac Megantic in Canada, killing 47 people.
Already this year, five trains have derailed and caught fire in the United States and Canada, all in rural areas. No deaths have occurred but the accidents have stoked fears about the safety of transporting crude oil by rail.
(Reporting By New York Energy desk; Editing by Frances Kerry)

Heimdal, North Dakota, Evacuated After Fiery Oil Train Crash

By Lisa Riordan Seville, Sean Federico-O'Murchu and Tracy Connor

A tiny North Dakota town was evacuated Wednesday after a train carrying crude oil derailed and 10 cars burst into flames, local authorities said. It is the latest in a string of explosive oil train derailments that have raised concerns about the large volume of crude moving across America's tracks.

No injuries have been reported from the derailment of a BNSF train near Heimdal, North Dakota. The town, which in 2010 had a population of 27, has been evacuated, as have farms near the crash site.

"I was in the house at 7:15 a.m. when we thought we heard thunder," witness Jennifer Willis told NBC News.

She went out to the scene, about an eighth of a mile away, and found the area covered in black smoke.

"It was kinda awesome. It's kinda scary to hear it. It was like fireworks going off. You could hear little explosions going off. I sat there for 15 minutes and you could hear it going off," she said.

Fire crews from three nearby towns were called in, and BNSF said it was aware of the incident and cooperating with first responders.

The National Transportation Safety Board was sending a five-person team to the site, and the Federal Railroad Administration dispatched 10 investigators.

"Today's incident is yet another reminder of why we issued a significant, comprehensive rule aimed at improving the safe transport of high hazard flammable liquids," the FRA said in a statement. "The FRA will continue to look at all options available to us to improve safety and mitigate risks."

Last week, federal regulators passed new safety rules governing crude by rail, which has become a booming business thanks to the growth in U.S. oil production. Nearly 450,000 tankers of crude moved through North America last year, up from just 9,500 in 2009.

The Heimdal accident comes nearly two years after a tragic oil derailment killed 47 people and destroyed the center of a small Quebec town.

"There are trains pretty much all day going through," Willis said of Heimdal. "A lot of them carry grain and, of course, oil."

IN-DEPTH

First published May 6th 2015, 9:50 am

North Dakota Town Evacuated After Train Derailment

60°F

North Dakota Town Evacuated After Train Derailment

Updated: Wed 9:56 AM, May 06, 2015

Courtesy: Jennifer Willis

A North Dakota town has been evacuated after a train derailment Wednesday morning.
The Wells County Sheriff's Office tells Valley News Live the town of Heimdal, ND was evacuated after an oil train went off the tracks and started on fire around 7:30 a.m.
Heimdal is in between Harvey and New Rockford.
BNSF said in a statement the train was carrying crude oil and that initial reports from the crew indicate there are no injuries.
Spokesperson Amy McBeth says the tank cars involved in the incident are the unjacketed CPC-1232 models.
Fire crews from Harvey, Fessenden and Maddock have all been called in to fight the fire. An official with Harvey Fire says at least 5 oil tanker cars are burning.
Witness Jennifer Willis lives about a half mile from where the train derailed. She says she heard it happen this morning and it sounded like thunder.
Willis has been evacuated from her home. She tells Valley News Live the closest they've been allowed to the scene is an 1/8th of a mile and you could feel the heat.
Stay with Valley News Live and ValleyNewsLive.com for more on this breaking story.

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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Cantwell, Murray, Baldwin, and Feinstein Introduce Oil Train Safety Legislation

United States Senate

For Immediate Release CONTACT: Cantwell Press Office: (202) 224-8277

Wednesday, March 25, 2015 Baldwin Press Office: (202) 224-6225

Feinstein Press Office: (202) 224-9629

Murray Press Office: (202) 224-2834

Cantwell, Murray, Baldwin, and Feinstein Introduce Oil Train Safety Legislation

Bill would set new standards for crude volatility, take unsafe tank cars off the tracks, and increase fines for violations

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced legislation that would set strong new safety standards for trains hauling volatile crude oil, to better protect American communities along the tracks.

The Crude-By-Rail Safety Act of 2015 requires the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to draft new regulations to mitigate the volatility of gases in crude oil shipped via tank car and immediately halt the use of older-model tank cars that have been shown to be at high risk for puncturing and catching fire in derailments.

“Every new derailment increases the urgency with which we need to act,” said Senator Cantwell, ranking member on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. “Communities in Washington state and across the nation see hundreds of these oil tank cars pass through each week. This legislation will help reduce the risk of explosion in accidents, take unsafe tank cars off the tracks, and ensure first responders have the equipment they need. We can’t afford to wait for ten accidents per year, as estimated by the Department of Transportation.”

“Families and communities in Washington state and across the country should be able to feel safe knowing that every precaution is being taken to protect them from oil train disasters,” Senator Murray said. “This legislation will help make sure the most dangerous tank cars are kept off the tracks and is a strong step forward in reducing the risks of oil train accidents and making sure our communities have the resources they need to be prepared for emergencies if they happen.”

“As more and more volatile crude oil moves through Wisconsin and through our country via rail it is critical that appropriate safety measures are in place to reduce the risk of deadly accidents,” Senator Baldwin said. “I’m proud to join Senators Cantwell, Feinstein and Murray in introducing legislation that takes immediate action to phase out the most dangerous tank cars carrying crude oil through our communities and I am hopeful our colleagues in the Senate will join us to prevent future oil train tragedies from occurring as we work to increase safety and efficiency along America’s railways.”

“As more crude oil is moved by train, we’re seeing a surge in derailments and explosions. Until we deploy safer tank cars and stronger safety rules, countless communities across the country face the risk of a devastating accident,” Senator Feinstein said. “That’s why I’m supporting Senator Cantwell’s bill, which will save lives and property and ensure that railcar investments now underway will lead to significant safety improvements. We can’t wait for the next deadly accident to take the necessary steps to improve rail safety.”

The legislation would:

Require PHMSA standards for volatility of gases in crude oil hauled by rail.

Immediately ban the use of tank cars shown to be unsafe for shipping crude oil. Those models include DOT-111s and unjacketed CPC-1232s.

Require new tank car design standards that include 9/16^th inch shells, thermal protection, pressure relief valves and electronically-controlled pneumatic (ECP) brakes.

Increase fines on railroads that violate hazardous materials laws and establish new fines for railroads and energy companies that don’t comply with safety laws.

Authorize funding for first responder training, equipment and emergency preparedness. Also would authorize funding for increased rail inspections and energy product testing.

Require comprehensive oil spill response plans for trains carrying oil, petroleum and other hazardous products.

Mandate railroads establish a confidential “close-call” reporting system for employees to anonymously report problems.

Require railroads to disclose crude-by-rail movements to State Emergency Response Commissions and Local Emergency Planning Committees along hazmat rail routes.

The legislation follows four fiery derailments involving oil trains since the start of February. No injuries were reported, but a July 2013 derailment in downtown Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, resulted in 47 deaths. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates an average of 10 derailments annually over the next 20 years as crude-by-rail shipments grow, costing $4 billion.

Five years ago, railroads hauled almost no crude oil. Now, more than 1.1 million barrels per day – with more expected – move by rail, largely originating in the Midwest. But safety regulations have not kept pace, and thousands of tank cars now in use to haul hazardous materials were not designed to carry the more flammable crude that comes from regions such as the Bakken shale.

Friday, March 6, 2015

Another fiery oil train derailment

CBS/APMarch 6, 2015, 6:45 AM

Another fiery oil train derailment

As seen from near Bellevue, Iowa, smoke rises from train derailment March 5, 2015, near Galena, Illinois AP

GALENA, Ill. -- A freight train loaded with crude oil derailed in northern Illinois, bursting into flames and prompting officials to suggest that everyone with 1 mile evacuate, authorities said.
The BNSF Railway train derailed Thursday afternoon in a rural area where the Galena River meets the Mississippi, according to company spokesman Andy Williams. The train had 103 cars loaded with crude oil, along with two buffer cars loaded with sand. A cause for the derailment hadn't yet been determined. No injuries were reported.
Only a family of two agreed to leave their home, Galena City Administrator Mark Moran said at a news conference late Thursday, adding that the suggestion to evacuate was prompted by the presence of a propane tank near the derailment.
The derailment occurred 3 miles south of Galena in a wooded and hilly area that is a major tourist attraction and the home of former President Ulysses S. Grant. The Jo Daviess County Sheriff's Department confirmed the train was transporting oil from the Northern Plains' Bakken region.
Earlier in the day, Moran said 8 tankers had left the track. But Williams said at the news conference that only six cars derailed, two of which burst into flames and continued to burn into the night.
Firefighters could only access the derailment site by a bike path, said Galena Assistant Fire Chief Bob Conley. They attempted to fight a small fire at the scene but were unable to stop the flames.
Firefighters had to pull back for safety reasons and were allowing the fire to burn itself out, Conley said. In addition to Galena firefighters, emergency and hazardous material responders from Iowa and Wisconsin were at the scene.
The derailment comes amid increased public concern about the safety of shipping crude by train.
According to the Association of American Railroads, oil shipments by rail jumped from 9,500 carloads in 2008 to 500,000 in 2014, driven by a boom in the Bakken oil patch of North Dakota and Montana, where pipeline limitations force 70 percent of the crude to move by train.
Since 2008, derailments of oil trains in the U.S. and Canada have seen 70,000-gallon tank cars break open and ignite on multiple occasions, resulting in huge fires.
A train carrying Bakken crude crashed in a Quebec town in 2013, killing 47 people. That same year, another crash sent flames shooting into the sky in North Dakota. Last year, it happened in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Last month, a train carrying 3 million gallons of North Dakota crude derailed in a West Virginia snowstorm, shooting fireballs into the sky, leaking oil into a river tributary and forcing hundreds of families to evacuate.
That blaze and the one sparked Thursday in Illinois involved CPC 1232 model tank cars, railroad officials said.
That model "is the newer, supposedly tougher version of the DOT-111 car manufactured before 2011, which was faulted by regulators and operators for a number of years," the Reuters news agency explains.
Older rail cars have been prone to punctures, and the industry is moving toward tank cars with thicker shells.
The ruptures and fires have prompted the Obama administration to consider requiring upgrades such as thicker tanks, shields to prevent tankers from crumpling, rollover protections and electronic brakes that could make cars stop simultaneously, rather than slam into each other.
Improving railroad tank car safety was one of the National Transportation Safety Board's "most wanted" items on their 2015 safety list.
In a statement, the Federal Railroad Administration said it was sending investigators to the Illinois derailment site and that the agency will conduct a "thorough investigation," to determine the cause.
BNSF spokesman Michael Trevino said railroad employees were on the scene and additional personnel were headed there.
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner also put state personnel and equipment at the ready for deployment.
In a statement Thursday night, the railroad also said it was establishing a claims center at the site of the incident to help and assist local residents who may have incurred damage to their property or are in need of temporary relocation.
"BNSF is also taking precautionary measures to protect the waterways in the area and will conduct air quality monitoring," the railroad added.

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Ontario, Riverkeeper Calls for Immediate Steps to Protect Public From Danger of Crude Oil Trains

Leah Rae, Riverkeeper, (914) 478-4501 ext. 238 or (914) 715-6821, lrae@riverkeeper.org
After Disasters in West Virginia and Ontario, Riverkeeper Calls for Immediate Steps to Protect Public From Danger of Crude Oil Trains
OSSINING, N.Y. – Feb. 18, 2015 – In the wake of two crude oil train disasters in three days, Riverkeeper is calling for immediate federal and state action to protect communities and the environment from the imminent hazard presented by the virtually unregulated shipment of crude oil by rail.
"What will it take for our leaders to act?" John Lipscomb, captain of Riverkeeper's Hudson River Boat Patrol Program, asked, in light of the litany of crude-by-rail derailment disasters that have happened in the past two years. "How many more derailments? How many more explosions? This is an unacceptable risk."
Every year, billions of gallons of oil move through states like New York – over crumbling bridges, through pristine ecosystems, and alongside schools and businesses. New federal safety rules for the surging industry of rail shipment of crude oil are due out this May – months after they were originally slated to be published. But the plan is riddled with loopholes, and the most obvious step – taking the worst-designed, most dangerous rail cars out of service – wouldn't happen for years.
Enough studies. Enough waiting. Riverkeeper and communities around the nation once again call upon the State of New York and the Secretary of Transportation to take immediate action to address the all-too-evident dangers threatening our communities, economies and environment every day.
The State of New York should act on its emergency authority to suspend the permits granted to Port of Albany oil transloading facilities, which facilitate this ongoing endangerment. The state Department of Environmental Conservation must then require an environmental impact statement prior to any possible reactivation of those permits.
The U.S. Secretary of Transportation must, based on the imminent hazard posed by crude-by-rail, issue an Emergency Order applicable to all crude and ethanol transport by rail that immediately:

Institutes a speed limit, taking into account rail conditions, environmental and public health risks, and community vulnerabilities, that protects the public.

Limits the length of these trains, as Riverkeeper and the Center for Biological Diversity requested last year, in order to limit the devastation which could result from the next rail disaster.

Prohibits the use of the 23,000 tank cars identified by the NTSB and PHMSA as being the most vulnerable and least resilient tank cars on the rails. These “worst” tank cars – which include both CPC-1232s and DOT-111s – should not be permitted for use in hauling any other hazardous liquids (such as tar sands crude oil).

Requires that railroads immediately develop comprehensive spill response plans keyed geographically to each county through which these trains travel. Such plans are required for vessels carrying crude oil, but not for trains – an unacceptable loophole that needs to be closed.

Monday's derailment in West Virginia unleashed a huge fireball, destroyed a home, forced residents to evacuate and closed downstream public water supply intakes. Another oil train derailed and exploded in rural Ontario Saturday night. These incidents follow a string of other rail disasters across the continent, most tragically the derailment and explosion in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, in July 2013, in which 47 people lost their lives.
“No community should be subject to the real, imminent dangers that crude oil trains present,” said Sean Dixon, Riverkeeper Staff Attorney. "But the oil burning on the Kanawha River in West Virginia could as easily be on the Hudson River. Imagine the fireballs going up in our communities. Imagine our river on fire. Imagine our drinking water intakes closed."
"The very same crude oil rolls through our communities and along our rivers, from Buffalo to Albany, along the Mohawk, down the Champlain Valley, through Hudson Valley communities like Albany, Catskill, Kingston, Newburgh, and West Nyack," Dixon said. "The federal and state governments must act now to protect our communities, our river, our environment."

Riverkeeper is a member-supported watchdog organization dedicated to defending the Hudson River and its tributaries and protecting the drinking water supply of 9 million New York City and Hudson Valley residents.