Letter to Barack Obama, President of the United States - Crude Oil Train Tanker Transportation Safety

Letter

Dear President Obama:

In the coming days I understand that the Department of Transportation (DOT) will transmit a comprehensive rulemaking package for enhancing tank car standards, including DOT-111 tanker cars, to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In light of the widespread concern across the country regarding the use of DOT-111 cars to safely transport crude oil, I urge you to direct OMB to expedite the review of this rulemaking package. Additionally, I urge you to direct all federal agencies responsible for the oversight of crude oil transport to make more expansive use of their emergency authority in order to immediately mitigate the dangers that crude oil transport poses to communities across the country.

The potential dangers of transporting crude oil in DOT-111 cars were made incredibly clear today in downtown Lynchburg, Virginia, when a train carrying crude oil derailed and caught fire. This follows the well-known incident last July in Quebec, Canada, when these tank cars derailed in the community of Lac-Megantic, killing 47 people and causing the evacuation of an additional 2,000 people. Additionally, last December, in my district, a train carrying almost a hundred empty DOT-111 tank cars, which had previously transported crude oil, struck a semi-truck and pushed it 500 yards down the track. Thankfully, since the cars were no longer carrying crude, a worst-case scenario was adverted, but I, along with residents and community leaders, remain fearful that we won't be so lucky next time.

In light of recent accidents and the drastic increase in domestic crude production, elected officials across all levels of government, industry stakeholders, and safety advocates agree that the issues surround the use of these tank cars must be urgently addressed. In fact, the Association of American Railroads has already agreed to voluntary standards that exceed present federal standards for DOT-111 cars, and the railroad industry is already placing orders for these cars. However, I remain concerned that voluntary action like these don't go far enough and that, without expedited review of this rule by OMB, the federal government will fall further behind and will be unable to effectively safeguard individuals, business, and communities. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Deborah Hersman has also repeatedly urged that the identified vulnerabilities with DOT-111 tank cars be addressed as quickly as possible and that the Administration should more robustly use its emergency authority to mitigate the risks of crude oil transport in order to prevent additional deaths. The NTSB has issued a series of recommendations to improve the strength of these tank cars. It is my sincere hope that the Department of Transportation has carefully considered these recommendations in drafting the pending rule.

Like you, I believe that it is in the country's interest that OMB conducts a thorough and thoughtful review of the pending rulemaking package from the DOT; however, I urge you to commit additional resources to the review of this package swiftly so that DOT can move forward with its implementation and to employ every possible means at your disposal to immediately address this public safety threat. As always, I look forward to working with you on this matter.

Sincerely,

Nita M. Lowey

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