The Federal Railroad Administration’s Railroad Safety Advisory Committee provides a forum for stakeholders to advise and make recommendations on critical rail safety issues by drawing on the knowledge and experience of stakeholders in the railroad industry; currently local government and first responder stakeholders are not represented on the committee 

In a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration, Klobuchar called on the administration to add local governments and first responders to the committee so they have voice in rail safety policies that have a direct effect on communities along rail routes

WASHINGTON, DC – In response to recent railroad derailments, U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar is calling for emergency responders and local government stakeholders to have an active role in the development of rail safety policy. The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) provides a forum for stakeholders to advise and make recommendations on critical rail safety issues by drawing on the knowledge and experience of stakeholders in the railroad industry. Currently, local government and first responder stakeholders are not represented on the committee. In a letter to the FRA, Klobuchar called on the administration to add local governments and first responders to the committee so they have voice in rail safety policies that have a direct effect on communities along rail routes.

“Derailments over the past few years have highlighted the importance of community preparedness programs and the critical role that local governments and first responders play in the planning of and response to rail incidents,” Klobuchar wrote. “In light of the significant increase in the frequency and volume of freight rail trains carrying crude oil through communities across the country, it’s critical that the personnel responsible for safeguarding communities in the event of a rail incident play an active role in the development of rail safety policies.”

As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which oversees federal rail issues, Klobuchar highlighted the need to include local governments and first responders on the RSAC during the confirmation hearing for Sarah Feinberg to be administrator of the FRA earlier this month.

Klobuchar is a leader in the Senate on the effort to improve rail safety and service across the country. Her provision to help states address blocked rail crossings passed the Senate in July as part of the bipartisan long-term transportation legislation. Her provision would help improve safety at rail-highway crossings by ensuring that the U.S. Secretary of Transportation provides tools and best practices to states to mitigate the safety risks posed by blocked rail crossings.

In July, Klobuchar convened a meeting with local officials in Ranier, home to the busiest rail port in North America, to discuss the importance of improving rail safety. She recently sent a letter urging the U.S. 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. In her role on the Commerce Committee, 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 has also pushed the Senate Appropriations Committee for increased funding for additional rail inspectors and for a stronger track inspection process to prevent derailments.

At a Senate Commerce Committee meeting in March, Klobuchar helped pass legislation to improve the efficiency of the Surface Transportation Board and help improve rail service. After a major push from her and Senator John Thune (R-SD), the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a report in March examining the rail service challenges in the Upper Midwest in 2013 and 2014 and the implications these issues had on the region’s agricultural sectors.

The full text of Klobuchar’s letter is below:

Dear Acting Administrator Feinberg:

I am writing to follow up on our discussion during your recent confirmation hearing regarding the importance of adding representation of local government and first responders to the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC). Derailments over the past few years have highlighted the importance of community preparedness programs and the critical role that local governments and first responders play in the planning of and response to rail incidents. I urge the FRA to ensure local governments and first responders have a seat at the table when it is considering rail safety policies that have a direct effect on communities along rail routes.

The steep increase in the overall volume of crude oil moving by rail requires a renewed focus by the federal government to ensure the safety of communities along railroad routes. The FRA’s RSAC plays a critical role in this effort by drawing on the knowledge and experience of stakeholders in the railroad industry to advise and make recommendations to the FRA on critical rail safety issues. The RSAC includes important stakeholder groups such as railroad carriers, labor organizations, shippers, rail road suppliers and manufacturers, yet currently local government and first responder stakeholders are not represented on the RSAC.

In light of the significant increase in the frequency and volume of freight rail trains carrying crude oil through communities across the country, it is critical that the personnel responsible for safeguarding communities in the event of a rail incident play an active role in the development of rail safety policies. I believe that adding the voice of local governments and first responders to the RSAC will help ensure that the FRA’s freight rail polices are sound and lead to improved safety for communities along railroad routes across the country.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue that is so critical to the wellbeing of communities across Minnesota.  I am committed to working with the Administration, industry partners and community stakeholders to improve rail safety. 

Sincerely,

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