OSSINING – A fourth oil train derailment
and fire in three weeks has occurred, this one in northern Ontario, and
environmental group Riverkeeper has renewed its call for immediate state
and federal action to avoid yet another disaster.
“We’re playing Russian roulette with our cities and environment,
except all the chambers are loaded,” said Sean Dixon, a staff attorney
for Riverkeeper. “Our state and local leaders need to use their
emergency authority and act now.”
Some 30 to 40 cars derailed, several caught fire and some went into the
Mattagami River in the Ontario incident.
The US government has yet to implement its rules concerning DOT-111 railcars
which have been determined to be unsound to carry flammable Bakken crude
oil. When put in place, those rules will require those cars to be reinforced
or replaced.
