U.S. Orders Tests on Rail Shipments of Oil.

[elleng]

Federal regulators on Tuesday ordered shippers to properly test and classify crude oil from the productive Bakken region before loading it onto freight trains, a move meant to tighten regulatory standards after a spate of derailments and explosions that highlighted the hazards of carrying crude oil on rails.

The announcement from the office of secretary of transportation, Anthony Foxx, was the fourth emergency order or safety advisory issued in the last seven months related to the booming oil-by-rail trade.

The Transportation Department is under pressure to beef up the safety of these trains, a business that has soared in the last two years thanks to the growth of domestic oil production in North Dakota. Recent accidents have drawn attention to the risks of shipping large quantities of crude oil in unpressurized railcars. The danger was highlighted in July when a runaway train derailed in Quebec, killing 47 people.

On Friday, regulators announced that the major railroads had agreed to eight voluntary measures that would reduce the risk of rail shipments, including traveling at lower speeds and adding more braking mechanisms on freight trains.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/26/business/us-orders-tests-on-oil-shipments.html?hp&_r=0

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x-posting @ Environment + Energy

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. related FRA stuff

FRA fields track inspection requests from New Hampshire, North Dakota delegations

Written by Mischa Wanek-Libman, editor

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has been asked by elected officials in New Hampshire and North Dakota to step up track inspections along routes that transport hazardous materials in an effort to insure rail safety to communities along the lines.

U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) ... said she is following up with the FRA to ask again if the area near Casselton is receiving special attention, given the history of derailments in the area. If the agency is not focused on this area, Heitkamp will reiterate that this area deserves an increased focus.
....

In New Hampshire, a delegation consisting of Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) and U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), are requesting FRA to inspect the Portsmouth and Newington Industrial Tracks in response to concerns from area residents.

The town of Newington planning board is reviewing an application from Sea-3, Inc., to expand its liquefied petroleum gas facility and increase its capacity for off-loading propane from tank cars. Sea-3's proposal would involve increasing the number of rail cars carrying liquefied propane to the Shattuck Way facility. These cars would pass through Newington, Stratham, Greenland and Portsmouth.

[elleng]

2. Good.

Thanks