As Smoke Clears in Illinois, ‘Bomb Trains’ Spark Demands for Regulation
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As Smoke Clears in Illinois, ‘Bomb Trains’ Spark Demands for Regulation

With the flames from the most recent oil train derailment just extinguished, a spotlight hovers over the risks associated with what some have dubbed “bomb trains.” In the past month alone, there have been four such disasters in the United States and Canada: On February 14, a CN Rail freight train carrying crude from the…

President Obama Vows Veto of Keystone XL Fast Track Bill
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President Obama Vows Veto of Keystone XL Fast Track Bill

Republicans take control of Congress on Tuesday, marking the first time since 2006 that the GOP holds both the House and Senate. Their first order of business: approving the Keystone XL pipeline, which would deliver Canadian tar sands oil to the Gulf of Mexico. President Obama’s response: not so fast. The White House said today…

Oil Trains Causing Backlog for Rotting Midwestern Wheat

U.S. grain shipments are being held up as trains carrying huge quantities of Bakken oil chug through the region, the New York Times reported Tuesday, illustrating how the booming business of moving oil by rail has negative consequences beyond safety risks. According to the Times: Railroads have long been the backbone of North Dakota’s transportation…