DOT Takes Additional Actions on Crude Oil Trains

Today the Department of Transportation published six new documents outlining new actions that PHMSA an FRA were taking to reduce the risks associated with the transportation of crude oil and other flammable liquids in unit trains or blocks of cars. The new documents are:

∙ PHMSA Notice – Emergency Response Information Requirements

∙ PHMSA Safety Advisory – Railroad Flammable Liquid ER Information Requirements

∙ FRA Emergency Order – Maximum Speed Limit for HHFT in HTUA

∙ FRA Safety Advisory – Wheel Inspection Requirements for HHFT

∙ FRA ICR Notice Change – Incident Report

∙ FRA Letter to AAR

A DOT blog post by Secretary Foxx outlines the new requirements and actions being published today. These actions are being taken while the highly-hazardous flammable train (HHFT) rulemaking is still under review at the Office of Management and Budget. Congressional sources have said that the rulemaking is expected to be published on May 12^th, 2015.

PHMSA also has a new web page providing a history of actions that the Department has taken to date to increase the safe transportation of energy products.

There is also a note that FEMA is also addressing the emergency response information issue in a separate blog post.

I’ll have further information after I have had a chance to conduct a review of the documents.