DOT Announces Final Rule to Strengthen Safe Transportation of Flammable Liquids by Rail
Rule Will Make Significant and Extensive Changes to Improve Accident Prevention, Mitigation, and Emergency Response.
111 tank car
New Final Rule offers improved rail safety
Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation is issuing a Final Rule that will enhance the safety of transporting flammable liquids –including crude oil and ethanol– by rail.
We are in the midst of an unprecedented increase in North American energy production. This boom in continental production has pushed America's dependence on foreign oil to a 40 year low, created jobs, and helped grow the U.S. and Canadian economies.
It also means that petroleum crude oil and ethanol are being shipped by rail in much larger quantities, and over much greater distances. In 2014, nearly 500,000 carloads containing more than 410 million barrels of Canadian and U.S. crude oil were transported by rail in the United States, and 99.9 percent reached their destination without incident.
The accidents that have occurred, though –involving both crude and ethanol– have had significant and devastating consequences to local communities and the environment. They have shown us that 99.9 percent isn’t good enough. We have to strive for perfection, and today's rule moves us closer to that goal...
Final Rule for Safer Transportation of Flammable Liquids by Rail
A final rule for the safe transportation of flammable liquids by rail.
U.S. DOT Announces Comprehensive Proposed Rulemaking for the Safe Transportation of Crude Oil, Flammable Materials
Releases new data on Bakken crude oil to support increased safety measures
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation today released the details of its comprehensive rulemaking proposal to improve the safe transportation of large quantities of flammable materials by rail - particularly crude oil and ethanol - in the form of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and a companion Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM).
Rail Safety is a National Priority
Energy production is booming in the United States. The volume of crude oil moving by rail has quadrupled in less than a decade, and most of that movement occurs safely and without incident. Over the past decade, train accidents have declined by 43 percent and accidents involving a hazardous materials release are down 16 percent.
But at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, we know there is always more we can do.
That is why today we are asking for public input on how to enhance the safe transportation of hazmat by rail, including changes to the DOT 111 tank car.
