Tag: Hazardous Materials

New Federal Oil-By-Rail Regulations Published

Today, May 8, 2015, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration published a final rule for rail transport of crude oil in the Federal Register. These rules come after several high-profile oil train derailments, including one recently in North Dakota that caused the evacuation of a nearby town. The final rule applies to “high-hazard flammable … Continue Reading

USDOT Proposes New Rules for Rail Transport of Fossil Fuels

On Wednesday, July 23, 2014 the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“Administration”), an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation (“USDOT”), issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NOPR”) for rail transport of crude oil and ethanol.  The NOPR, titled “Enhanced Tank Car and Operational Controls for High-Hazard Flammable Trains,” is available online, but has … Continue Reading

UPDATE: USDOT Clarifies Its Oil-By-Rail Emergency Order To Answer Industry Concerns

In response to questions raised by the petrochemical industry, the federal Department of Transportation (USDOT) amended its emergency order restricting those who transport crude oil by rail in the United States last Thursday.  Among other revisions, the amended order requires that shippers test their oil cargoes with sufficient frequency to ensure that their hazardous material … Continue Reading

USDOT Issues Emergency Order Impacting All Bakken Crude Oil Rail Shipments

In response to safety concerns over trains carrying crude oil extracted from Bakken shale, the federal Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued an Emergency Restriction/Prohibition Order yesterday, affecting all those who transport crude oil by rail in the United States. Specifically, the USDOT stated that its investigations into train accidents and derailments in North Dakota, Alabama, … Continue Reading

Train Explosion Drives Federal Railroad Administration to Issue New Regulations Impacting the Transportation of Petroleum Products

On August 2, 2013 the Federal Railroad Administration (“FRA”) released Emergency Order No. 28, Notice No. 1 and Safety Advisory 2013-06 in response to the July 2013 tragedy in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, Canada where a cargo train derailed, exploding portions of the 72 cars of petroleum crude oil it carried. The explosion killed 47 people and … Continue Reading
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