What Happened?
New studies and disaster plans are being deployed across the country to identify risks associated with oil transportation and find solutions to mitigate negative impacts.
Minnesota
A group of state agencies recently submitted a report to the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board outlining many aspects surrounding state pipelines and the transportation of oil throughout the state. The report covered a wide range of topics regarding oil transit and pipeline maintenance including human and environmental issues, permitting concerns and opportunities for taxation, Duluth News Tribune reported.
The goal of the interagency report was to provide in-depth information on pipeline operations available to local governments, agencies and citizens. The group consisted of representatives from 11 different state government agencies working together to compile as much information on the topic as possible to better educate decision makers and the voting public. The comprehensive report provides observations, rather than recommendations, that can be used by state and local agencies to guide future policymaking with regard to crude oil transport, Duluth News Tribune reported.
The report was broken down into four categories:
- Economics
- Environment and human health
- Permitting
- Safety
In Minnesota, 2.7 million barrels of crude oil are transported across the state daily via pipelines, and up to 600,000 barrels of oil per day are moving via train. The state’s current daily pipeline capacity for crude oil is closer to 400,000 barrels daily, marking a lack of infrastructure to accommodate all the oil that is expected to pass through.
Even if oil production were to flatline in the next 10 years, the interagency report reveals the state will to add more rail lines to meet oil transportation needs. The report did mention the negative environmental impacts associated with oil transportation in the state including the development of infrastructure to support extraction, refinement and combustion in neighboring states, Duluth News Tribune reported.
Jersey City
Just as Minnesota is considering the hazards associated with crude oil transport, Jersey City is hosting a two-day workshop on safety preparedness in the event of a crude oil delivery disaster. The Operation Safe Delivery workshop is being presented in three communities across the country in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Jersey City will host a series of exercises to ensure participating first responders are trained and prepared to meet security challenges associated with crude oil transport nationwide. The federal government is developing stricter safety rules surrounding oil transportation to reduce accidents and mitigate risks.
In Jersey City a variety of federal, state and local agencies will examine core capabilities to prevent, respond to and recover from the consequences of oil transportation incidents. The goal is to ensure all agencies know how to work together to improve security and resiliency in local communities against crude oil risks. Because the materials being transported are highly volatile, an accident places local communities at risk of fires, explosions, infrastructure damage or utilities disruption.
Track Maintenance
According to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a key component to reducing the frequency of oil train derailments is improving track maintenance throughout North America.
Approximately one-third of all train derailments in the United States are attributed to poor track conditions, and the Federal Railroad Administration reports 1,220 derailments occurred in 2014 totaling $200 million in repair/replacement costs. Of these derailments, 39 percent were directly caused by track problems.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters recommends maintaining tracks to a higher safety standard, specifically on lines moving highly volatile crude oil. The organization is pushing for investment in high-quality track materials, new technologies and workforce development programs to equip workers with necessary skills to meet higher standards.
The Federal Railroad Administration reported crude oil transportation in the United States increased from 9,500 carloads in 2008 to more than 400,000 carloads in 2013. This jump in rail usage is placing significant wear on the infrastructure, underscoring the demand for higher safety standards and maintenance protocol.
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