US Lags on Safety Rules for Rail Cars Involved in Deadly Canada Crash

"The Obama administration is nine months behind schedule on a proposal to bolster safety standards for the type of rail car that killed at least 13 people after slamming, filled with U.S. shale oil, into a small Canadian town over the weekend."



"The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration early last year began considering rules to improve freight train safety, including the DOT-111 tank cars involved in Saturday's fatal derailment in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. Originally anticipated to reach White House regulatory review in October 2012, the rulemaking plan remains in limbo even as Canadian investigators start homing in on long-identified safety risks involved in shipping hazardous cargo in older versions of the cars.

The American Petroleum Institute has 'been working really hard' to ensure that federal regulators embrace recommended changes to safety rules for new DOT-111 cars that it helped develop with the rail industry, the marketing issues manager, Prentiss Searles, said in an interview yesterday."

Elana Schor reports for EnergyWire July 10, 2013.

http://www.eenews.net/energywire/stories/1059984133

SEE ALSO:

"Rail Chief Blames Engineer in Deadly Quebec Crash" (Associated Press)

Source: AP, 07/11/2013