U.S. issues new rules requiring rail oil spill response plans

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

ENVIRONMENT FEBRUARY 14, 2019 / 3:29 PM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO

U.S. issues new rules requiring rail oil spill response plans

David Shepardson
2 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department on Thursday issued final rules requiring railroads to develop oil spill response plans and to disclose details of shipments to states and tribal governments after a series of high-profile incidents.

The department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said the rules, first proposed in July 2016, would “improve oil spill response readiness and mitigate effects of rail accidents and incidents involving petroleum oil and high-hazard flammable trains.”

The new regulation “is necessary due to expansion in U.S. energy production having led to significant challenges for the country’s transportation system,” the agency added.

The new rules apply to High Hazard Flammable Trains transporting petroleum oil in a block of 20 or more loaded tank cars and trains that have a total of 35 loaded petroleum oil tank cars. They require railroads to establish geographic response zones and ensure that personnel and equipment are staged and prepared to respond in the event of an accident.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-oil-rail/u-s-issues-new-rules-requiring-rail-oil-spill-response-plans-idUSKCN1Q32T1

[hedda_foil]

1. Whoops! Somebody missed killing a new regulation. Time for a Trumpstyle house cleaning at DOT?