WASHINGTON – Bakken crude oil is said
to be more flammable than other forms of oil and with the larger rail
shipments of the crude through New York, including through the Hudson
Valley, in recent years, US Senator Charles Schumer wants that oil to
be made less volatile before shipped.
The senator’s call on Wednesday comes in the wake of a number of
derailments of rail cars containing Bakken that resulted in large explosions
and fires.
“Like they are doing with the DOT 111’s (rail cars), I would
like the federal government to develop plan that would result in the shipment
of less hazardous crude oil,” he said. Schumer said he is focusing
on the volatility of the oil now because “we keep learning. The
more derailments there are, the more we learn.”
The nation is currently waiting for the federal government to implement
final rules that will require those DOT-111 rail cars to be reinforced
or replaced if they are to continue to carry Bakken crude.
