ALBANY – In the wake of four recent rail disasters in North America involving oil tank cars, a number of environmental organizations are calling on the state to increase the oil spill fund to “adequately” cover response costs and damages associated with loss of life and destruction of property caused by such disasters.
Riverkeeper, Sierra Club, Environmental Advocates and Adirondack Council banded together in light of the 4,000 percent increase in crude oil transport over the last six years.
Riverkeeper Special Projects Director Kate Hudson said the $15 million
increase in the fund cap to $40 million is insufficient.
“In the face of the exponentially increased risks that face New York State from crude rail transport, the existing cap is nowhere near what is was in 1977 when the fund was set up, which was $25 million,” Hudson said. “Twenty-five million dollars in today’s dollars would be $97 million.”
Environmental Advocates’ Executive Director Peter Iwanowicz said
raising the cap on the oil spill fund to $100 million “is not a
silver bullet, but it’s a good start in recognizing the enormous
dangers and risks that this industry has forced upon our communities.”
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