BNSF recently decided to reroute trains carrying crude oil on a segment of track between Willmar and Minneapolis and did not notify state and local officials until after the reroute occurred; the reroute resulted in a 30 percent increase in Minnesotans living within a half-mile of a crude-by-rail corridor
In a letter to the BNSF president, Klobuchar and Franken urge the rail company to help boost rail safety by increasing communication with state and local officials and developing a plan to notify officials of future changes so communities can appropriately plan and prepare
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken today called for increased communication between rail carriers and state and local officials in order to boost rail safety. BNSF recently decided to reroute trains carrying crude oil on a segment of track between Willmar and Minneapolis and did not notify state and local officials until after the reroute occurred. The reroute resulted in a 30 percent increase in Minnesotans living within a half-mile of a crude-by-rail corridor. In a letter to BNSF Railway President Carl Ice, Klobuchar and Franken urged the rail company to help boost rail safety by increasing communication with state and local officials and developing a plan to notify officials of future changes so communities can appropriately plan and prepare.
“Moving oil trains to a new route has major safety implications for communities along rail routes,” the senators wrote. “That is why it is critical for state and local officials to be given sufficient notification of where and how frequently trains are running. Officials use this information to allocate limited resources. State rail inspectors prioritize inspection of known crude-by-rail corridors. In addition, officials target special safety training for first responders at communities near oil train routes. When rail carriers fail to provide timely notification of routing decisions, state and local officials cannot respond appropriately, which puts communities at unnecessary risk.”
Klobuchar has been a leader in the effort to boost rail safety and protect communities along rail routes. In July, the Senate passed a long-term transportation bill – the DRIVE Act – which included Klobuchar’s provision to help states address public safety issues posed by blocked rail crossings. Klobuchar also convened a meeting with local officials this summer in Ranier, home to the busiest rail port in North America, to discuss the importance of improving rail safety. In July, Klobuchar sent a letter urging the Department of Transportation to work collaboratively with rail carriers and first responders to establish an information-sharing system that will help communities plan for and respond to rail incidents. As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees federal rail issues, she successfully pushed for a hearing last year where she pressed federal rail officials on the need to move forward on critical safety measures to strengthen rail infrastructure and protect communities along rail routes. She also sent letters to the Senate Appropriations Committee calling for increased funding for additional rail inspectors and for a stronger inspection process.
Franken has been one of Congress’ strongest advocates for improving rail safety. He supported strong rail safety provisions in the bipartisan, long-term transportation bill that is now being finalized in negotiations between the House and Senate, and he has pressed on several fronts to address the growing danger of trains carrying highly volatile oil from the Bakken Region. After Franken urged the Department of Transportation to require safer tank cars, earlier this year the agency established higher standards for tank cars that carry crude. And as a member of the Senate Energy Committee, Franken has advocated for reducing the volatility of the oil before it’s shipped. He also called for rerouting trains around populated areas when possible, and for improving information sharing with state and local officials so that emergency responders can be prepared if there’s an accident or derailment.
Full text of the senators’ letter is available below:
Dear Mr. Ice,
Minnesota has been fortunate to avoid major oil train incidents so far this year. However, with the oil train explosion in Heimdal, North Dakota earlier this year and the derailments in Wisconsin this past weekend, we remain concerned about the safety impact of crude-by-rail on communities in Minnesota.
In particular, we are concerned that rail carriers, including BNSF Railway, are not adequately communicating critical safety information to state and local officials. This lack of communication was recently demonstrated when BNSF rerouted oil trains to a segment of track that runs between Minneapolis and Willmar, Minnesota. Going forward, we urge BNSF to directly notify state and local officials about changes to oil train routes so that officials can appropriately plan and prepare.
Over the past few months BNSF began routing trains carrying crude oil on a segment of track that runs between Minneapolis and Willmar, Minnesota. Until recently, this route was not a crude-by-rail corridor. As a result of the rerouting, there are now 11 to 23 oil trains per week going through rural, suburban, and urban communities along the route. This means that an additional 99,000 Minnesotans now live within a half-mile of a crude-by-rail corridor – a 30-percent increase. It is our understanding that BNSF only provided notice after trains were rerouted after the fact through routine filings and initially did not provide a timeline for how long the rerouting would last.
Moving oil trains to a new route has major safety implications for communities along rail routes. That is why it is critical for state and local officials to be given sufficient notification of where and how frequently trains are running. Officials use this information to allocate limited resources. State rail inspectors prioritize inspection of known crude-by-rail corridors. In addition, officials target special safety training for first responders at communities near oil train routes. When rail carriers fail to provide timely notification of routing decisions, state and local officials cannot respond appropriately, which puts communities at unnecessary risk.
Rail safety is a shared responsibility among railroads and federal, state, and local officials. Fulfilling our obligation to protect communities along the tracks requires open communication and cooperation. In that spirit, we ask BNSF to respond with specific steps you will take to ensure that state and local officials are provided clear, timely notice of future routing changes for oil trains in Minnesota.
Sincerely,
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