Davis concerned following derailment of train carrying crude oil. (WJBC file photo)
By RFD
BLOOMINGTON – The derailment of some railcars carrying crude oil near Galena is another reason to review rules put on rail companies.
That’s according to Congressman Rodney Davis. Reports indicate the train that derailed in northwest Illinois causing a large crude oil fire, but no injuries, involved new cars that fit updated government regulations. Davis said if that’s the case, the rules put in place several years ago need to be reviewed.
"If the rule that has been proposed is going to cost companies billions to implement new safety rules and if those cars still blow up we've got a problem," said Davis.
The republican lawmaker says the review should ensure the mandates are making things safer instead of just costing companies more money to comply. Meanwhile, the congressman saw the oil spill as an opportunity to highlight the importance of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
"There's a lack of capacity on rail lines right now that many of our farmers our concerned about being able to get their corn and soybeans down to the river and out into the open ocean," says Davis. "So, it's a capacity issue."
Davis says crude oil transferring through pipelines will open up rail to the agriculture industry, rather than the rail capacity being taken up by transferring crude. Of the more than one-hundred railcars that were on the tracks, twenty derailed and burst into flames Thursday evening.
Terry James can be reached at [email protected].
