--- [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) # California Braces for Explosion of Oil by Rail … Freight Biz Hiding Info from Public ***![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/June-2014/12048r.png)ALERT***-The mountains and cities of California are about to see an explosion in the number of trains carrying fracked Bakken crude oil through the state. And according to a [report (pdf)](http://www.sfgate.com/file/830/830-SCAN6267.PDF) released on Tuesday, both the federal government and industry have done little to protect citizens from the "potentially serious risks" of such oil transport. Further, despite requests from state energy officials, railway companies have provided "limited data" to the state and have "vehemently resisted" sharing information regarding oil shipments with the public, claiming that such knowledge is a "trade secret," the *Sacramento Bee[ ](http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/06/09/3103815/fight-over-crude-oil-transports.html?sp=/99/177/348//)*[reported ](http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/06/09/3103815/fight-over-crude-oil-transports.html?sp=/99/177/348//)on Monday. The amount of crude oil by rail imported to California's refineries is set to increase from 1 percent of total imports in 2013 to 25 percent, or 150 million barrels, by 2016, according to state energy officials. This unprecedented rise reflects a growing national trend which has been fueled by the application of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the Bakken oil shale as well as by President Obama's "all of the above" energy strategy—which has increased fossil fuel development across North America, including from unconventional sources. Highlighting the risks posed by this boom, a report by the California Interagency Rail Safety Working Group, commissioned by Governor Jerry Brown, has found that “current regulations and industry practices are not adequate" to protect citizens in light of the push from both the fossil fuel industry and federal and state governments. As the number of shipments has increased, so has the number of accidents. According to the government task force, more crude oil by volume was spilled in rail incidents in 2013 than was spilled in the nearly four decades prior. And those incidents involving Bakken crude have been “particularly devastating,” notes the report—particularly the July 2013 accident in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, where 63 tank cars [exploded](http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/07/06-2) in the town center killing 47 people. A recent [report ](http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/05/30-1)by the watchdog group [Oil Change International ](http://priceofoil.org)highlights the dangers inherent in the expansion of the crude-by-rail industry. The report notes, however, that as crude-by-rail has become an increasingly dangerous option, transport by pipeline is equally fraught and that the false debate between the two ought to be shelved in order to make room for more sustainable energy development. In California, trains transporting Bakken crude are expected to bisect some of the state's most densely populated areas, as well as some of the most ecologically sensitive areas, traveling along the Feather River or Donner Pass to the Bay Area, the Tehachapi Pass to Bakersfield, or into Los Angeles. The California task force's report concludes that federal initiatives do not "go far enough to address the risks of increased oil by rail transport," and it recommends strengthening federal requirements, expediting the industry's tank car upgrades, and planning for better emergency response. “This is what the 'All of the Above Energy Strategy' looks like," said Lorne Stockman, research director of Oil Change International and author of their report, "a runaway train headed straight for North American communities.” ***(Lauren McCauley is staff writer at [CommonDreams.org](http://CommonDreams.org) … where this article was first posted.)*** ***-cw*** **CityWatch** **Vol 12 Issue 48** **Pub: June 13, 2014** Written by Lauren McCauley on December 31 2015. [](https://www.addtoany.com/share) ***![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/June-2014/12048r.png)ALERT***-The mountains and cities of California are about to see an explosion in the number of trains carrying fracked Bakken crude oil through the state. And according to a [report (pdf)](http://www.sfgate.com/file/830/830-SCAN6267.PDF) released on Tuesday, both the federal government and industry have done little to protect citizens from the "potentially serious risks" of such oil transport. Further, despite requests from state energy officials, railway companies have provided "limited data" to the state and have "vehemently resisted" sharing information regarding oil shipments with the public, claiming that such knowledge is a "trade secret," the *Sacramento Bee[ ](http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/06/09/3103815/fight-over-crude-oil-transports.html?sp=/99/177/348//)*[reported ](http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/06/09/3103815/fight-over-crude-oil-transports.html?sp=/99/177/348//)on Monday. The amount of crude oil by rail imported to California's refineries is set to increase from 1 percent of total imports in 2013 to 25 percent, or 150 million barrels, by 2016, according to state energy officials. This unprecedented rise reflects a growing national trend which has been fueled by the application of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the Bakken oil shale as well as by President Obama's "all of the above" energy strategy—which has increased fossil fuel development across North America, including from unconventional sources. Highlighting the risks posed by this boom, a report by the California Interagency Rail Safety Working Group, commissioned by Governor Jerry Brown, has found that “current regulations and industry practices are not adequate" to protect citizens in light of the push from both the fossil fuel industry and federal and state governments. As the number of shipments has increased, so has the number of accidents. According to the government task force, more crude oil by volume was spilled in rail incidents in 2013 than was spilled in the nearly four decades prior. And those incidents involving Bakken crude have been “particularly devastating,” notes the report—particularly the July 2013 accident in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, where 63 tank cars [exploded](http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/07/06-2) in the town center killing 47 people. A recent [report ](http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/05/30-1)by the watchdog group [Oil Change International ](http://priceofoil.org)highlights the dangers inherent in the expansion of the crude-by-rail industry. The report notes, however, that as crude-by-rail has become an increasingly dangerous option, transport by pipeline is equally fraught and that the false debate between the two ought to be shelved in order to make room for more sustainable energy development. In California, trains transporting Bakken crude are expected to bisect some of the state's most densely populated areas, as well as some of the most ecologically sensitive areas, traveling along the Feather River or Donner Pass to the Bay Area, the Tehachapi Pass to Bakersfield, or into Los Angeles. The California task force's report concludes that federal initiatives do not "go far enough to address the risks of increased oil by rail transport," and it recommends strengthening federal requirements, expediting the industry's tank car upgrades, and planning for better emergency response. “This is what the 'All of the Above Energy Strategy' looks like," said Lorne Stockman, research director of Oil Change International and author of their report, "a runaway train headed straight for North American communities.” ***(Lauren McCauley is staff writer at [CommonDreams.org](http://CommonDreams.org) … where this article was first posted.)*** ***-cw*** **CityWatch** **Vol 12 Issue 48** **Pub: June 13, 2014** [![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental%202026%20final.jpg)](http://medentalspa.com/) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png) ## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays Website [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)") [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2") --- ## Featured CityWatch Stories [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/bb/062a-bb8ffb47.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33163:4-4-billion-later-inside-the-broken-machinery-of-los-angeles-homelessness-system&catid=312) ### [ $4.4 Billion Later: Inside the Broken Machinery of Los Angeles’ Homelessness System](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33163:4-4-billion-later-inside-the-broken-machinery-of-los-angeles-homelessness-system&catid=312) THE BOTTOM LINE - When Karen Bass became mayor of Los Angeles in December 2022, she declared a state of emergency on ho… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/fd/064h-fdb0b507.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) ### [Remembering Ken Draper: CityWatch and Transparency Are his Legacy](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) LA WATCHDOG - Ken Draper, the editor and publisher of CityWatch for more than 20 years, passed away on August 8, 2022… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/0f/061a-0f1ada2f.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) ### [Brace Yourself For A Worse Housing Crisis](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) PLANNING WATCH - The California State Legislature will soon vote on the following draft legislation. Please carefully… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/04/063g-04ad33d5.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33173:netanyahus-challengers-are-selling-the-same-poison&catid=332) ### [Netanyahu’s Challengers Are Selling The Same Poison](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33173:netanyahus-challengers-are-selling-the-same-poison&catid=332) SPEAKING OUT - One would think that after October 7 and the Gaza war that followed, the leaders from the main oppositio… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/19/062f-19a66144.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33162:prolonged-ignorance-of-a-ticking-bomb-does-not-neutralize-it&catid=9) ### [Prolonged Ignorance Of A Ticking Bomb Does Not Neutralize It](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33162:prolonged-ignorance-of-a-ticking-bomb-does-not-neutralize-it&catid=9) OP/ED - The recent landslide of chemical leaks, fires and extremely dangerous events have proven, without any doubt, th… --- ## [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/034e.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16) ### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18755:tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people&catid=16) ### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17690:anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete&catid=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/033j.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Jan-2016/1404d.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)