DOT 52-08
Contact: Steve Kulm or Rob Kulat, Tel.: (202) 493-6024
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Trains Transporting the Most Toxic Hazardous Materials Must
Use Safest, Most Secure Route
New Federal Routing Rule Follows Proposal to Raise Rail Hazmat Tank Car
Safety
Railroads will be required to route every train carrying the
most toxic and dangerous hazardous materials on the safest and most secure route
under a new federal rule announced today by U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Mary E. Peters.
“This strong measure better ensures that rail shipments of hazardous materials
will reach their final destinations safely and without incident,” said Secretary
Peters, noting the rule applies to trains hauling Poison Inhalation Hazard (PIH)
commodities such as chlorine and anhydrous ammonia which are heavily used in
farming, water purification, and manufacturing.
Secretary Peters explained that beginning June 1, the rule requires railroads to
conduct a comprehensive safety and security risk analysis of its primary route
and any practicable alternative routes over which it has authority to operate.
The analysis must consider information provided by local communities and a
minimum of 27 risk factors like trip length, volume and type of hazmat being
moved, existing safety measures along the route, and population density, she
said. Railroads must implement their routing decisions based on these analyses
by September 2009.
In addition, the rule includes several rail security provisions designed to
guard against tampering with the rail hazmat car during transportation, the
Secretary said.
The new rule complements the Department’s proposal last month to increase by 500
percent on average the amount of energy a rail hazmat tank car must absorb
during a train accident before a catastrophic failure occurs, Secretary Peters
said. This dramatic improvement in puncture resistance can be achieved with
innovative designs, materials, and technologies available today and in
combination with speed restrictions, she said.
“Stronger hazmat tank cars moving on the safest and most secure rail routes will
enhance safety for people living in big cities and rural towns all across
America,” Secretary Peters said.
The interim final rule on rail hazmat routing was developed by the Department’s
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration in consultation with the
Federal Railroad Administration, and fully complies with the provisions of the
Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007.
For more information,
click here.
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