"Influence Game: Shaping Railroad Safety Rules"

"WASHINGTON — A string of fiery train derailments across the country has triggered a high-stakes but behind-the-scenes campaign to shape how the government responds to calls for tighter safety rules. Billions of dollars are riding on how these rules are written, and lobbyists from the railroads, tank car manufacturers and the oil, ethanol and chemical industries have met 13 times since March with officials at the White House and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

Their universal message: Don't make us pay for increased safety because that's another industry's problem."

Joan Lowy reports for the Associated Press July 13, 2014.

SEE ALSO:

"Protesters Demand State, City Governments Disclose Oil-Carrying Trains' Routes" (Chicago Business Journal)

"Railroads Seek To Limit Oil Train Disclosures Despite Order in Wake of Explosions" (FuelFix)

"Railroads Disclose Figures, Details on Volatile Oil Train Shipments" (AP)

"What You Should Know About Crude Oil on Trains Coming Through PA" (Public Source)

"Toxic Cargo Ahead" (Las Vegas Sun)

"As Rail Moves Frac Sand Across Wisconsin Landscape, New Conflicts Emerge" (Wisconsin Watch)

"New York Won't Keep Oil Train Details Secret" (AP)

"North Dakota Fracking: Behind the Oil-Train Explosions" (Wall Street Journal)

"Louisiana Refuses To Disclose Oil Train Records" (New Orleans Times-Picayune)

"N.Y. Will Disclose When, Where Trains Ship Oil" (Poughkeepsie Journal)

"State May Disclose Oil Train Shipments" (Cherry Hill (NJ) Courier-Post)

"Delaware Won't Disclose Oil Train Details" (Wilmington News Journal)

"Nebraska Refuses To Disclose Oil Train Records" (KETV ABC 7 Omaha)

"Bakken Oil Trains Run Through Iowa" (Des Moines Register)

"Railroads Disclose Figures, Details on Volatile Oil Train Shipments" (AP)

"U.S. Issues Safety Alert for Oil Trains" (New York Times)

Source: AP, 07/14/2014