Canadian and U.S. regulators have started to deliver on their pledges to introduce more rigorous controls over the movement of hazardous materials, including crude oil, by rail.
Canada’s Transport Minister Lisa Raitt issued a protective order forcing railroads to tell municipalities when they transport dangerous goods through their communities, although the disclosures will come after-the-fact.
Under the new rules, the railroads will provide yearly aggregate information about the nature and volume of the dangerous goods that pass through municipalities and tell them about any significant changes.
Because none of the information has to be provided in advance, the order stops short of what some municipalities have been asking for — the right to refuse trains permission to enter their jurisdictions.
But the Federation of Canadian Municipalities said the change will help first responders identify trends and better prepare for the possibility of an accident.
Classifying materials
Meanwhile, the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration and Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration have issued a safety advisory to impress on railroads the importance of properly classifying Class 3 flammable and combustible materials.
The agencies also want to ensure that railroads’ policies address the vulnerabilities cited in an emergency order issued on Aug. 7, which required the railroads to take steps within 30 days to ensure trains moving hazardous materials don’t move while unattended and possibly cause an accident similar to the July 6 derailment at Lac-Megantic, Quebec, that claimed 47 lives.
The actions taken on both sides of the border are all seen as a direct response to preliminary findings into the cause of the Lac-Megantic tragedy.
Railway Association of Canada officials welcomed Raitt’s order as a way to formalize information sharing with municipalities and first responders.
The Chemical Industry Association of Canada endorsed the protective order, saying its member companies already “go above and beyond” Canadian laws relating to haz-mat transportation.
Frequency by size
Larger railroads such as Canadian National and Canadian Pacific — which have endorsed the new directive — will have to provide information on a quarterly basis, while smaller operators will only be required to aggregate the information.
Olivia Chow, the transport spokeswoman for the opposition New Democratic Party, said the directive is a “good first step,” but said first responders should also know more about railroad safety protocols.
Separately, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said his government will provide up to C$95 million in additional funding to assist with cleanup efforts in Lac-Megantic, with the money expected to cover half the cost of decontaminating land in the town.
The Canadian and Quebec governments had previously contributed $60 million each toward the cleanup work and relocations for residents who lost their homes.
