Railroads will be required to submit oil-spill plans

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A recent federal rule will require railroads to develop and submit comprehensive oil-spill response plans for routes that include high hazard flammable trains (HHFTs). 

The rule will apply to HHFTs transporting petroleum oil in blocks of 20 or more loaded tank cars or trains that have 35 total loaded petroleum oil tank cars. 

The rule also requires rail carriers provide information about high-hazard flammable trains to state or tribal emergency response commissions, establishes geographic response zones along various rail routes, and requires qualified individuals and equipment capable of mitigating a worst-case incident for each zone.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration issued the final rule.

U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Jack Reed (D-RI) worked for several years to modernize oil-spill response plans and are supportive of the rule.

“Millions of barrels of crude oil are transported across our country by rail every day,” Collins said. “The bulk of these shipments are completed safely, but catastrophes can occur.”

The rule is long overdue to improve the safety of crude oil shipments, Reed said. Communities, the environment and rail employees will be protected from the harmful effects of oil spills, he said.