The Trump administration has finalized a roll back of Obama-era regulations for oil trains.
The rules, , required railroads carrying crude oil or other flammable liquids to outfit their trains with more responsive electronic braking systems. The rules came in response to concerns about explosions and spills from mile-long trains of crude and ethanol. In the Northwest, those trains move along the Columbia River and through cities to coastal refineries.
The U.S. Department of Transportation, which has been working on rescinding the rules , said in statement this week that its analysis showed the
The rail industry has resisted the new braking requirements. The American Association of Railroads, a freight rail industry group, had previously attempted to appeal the Obama administration鈥檚 decision, stating that the rules imposed unreasonably high costs to railroads and that the government had overstated the benefits of the brakes.
In 2016, the Federal Railroad Administration said electronic air braking, which allows for faster stops than conventional air brakes, would have lessened the damage from the oil train derailment in the Columbia River Gorge town of Mosier. At the time,
The rollback is drawing criticism from governors in West Coast states, where oil trains move through densely populated areas like Seattle, Portland and Spokane.
鈥淎ny roll back on oil train safety is a step in the wrong direction,鈥� Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said in an emailed statement.
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee said the rules fit the Trump administration鈥檚 pattern of loosening environmental and safety rules.
鈥淥ne thing you can trust about this administration, they鈥檙e going to sell out your safety for special interests,鈥� he said.
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