On June 29, in 11th hour fashion, the Oregon Legislature approved a bill (HB 2209) with bipartisan support to better prepare Oregon to respond to oil spills from high-hazard trains that carry millions of gallons of crude oil through the state. HB 2209 will require railroads transporting large amounts of crude oil through Oregon to develop spill response plans and submit them to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for review and approval. The bill also requires a triennial schedule for trainings on spill response, fees assessed to the railroads to pay for spill response and trainings, and for railroads to provide to the DEQ proof of financial ability to pay for oil spill response and cleanup costs.
On this episode of Locus Focus we talk with Peter Cornelison with Friends of the Gorge, about the importance of this bill, which while it will not stop oil trains from coming through Oregon, at least gives the state some authority to regulate these bomb trains and protect us from their worst case scenarios.
More information on stopping oil trains through Oregon: Friends of the Columbia Gorge and Columbia Riverkeeper.
- KBOO