A BNSF Railway oil train in Trempealeau, Wisconsin. (Photo: Roy Luck/flickr/cc)
Dec 15, 2014
A series of fiery, and at times deadly, oil train derailments and explosions--from Virginia to North Dakota to Quebec--has sparked concerns about the ever-increasing use of rail to transport crude through North America.
Reporting by Reuters released Monday reveals that, despite this alarm, "tens of millions" of public U.S. tax dollars are directly financing the expansion of oil-by-rail transport in a number of places across the country.
According to journalist Jarrett Renshaw, Reuters "identified 10 federal and state grants either approved or pending approval, totaling $84.2 million, that helped boost the number of rail cars carrying crude oil across the nation."
"The public assistance in states like New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma and Oregon comes as railroads are posting record profits, and as state and federal authorities press for safety overhauls that the oil and rail industries have opposed, following several explosive derailments," the article continues.
This assistance comprises just a "fraction of total public funding for railroads each year, and look[s] small compared to the $24 billion railroads themselves are spending annually on infrastructure," Renshaw clarifies.
Rail transportation of oil is playing a role in driving the fracked shale oil boom across North America.
According to an analysis by ForestEthics, approximately 25 million people in the U.S. live in the one-mile potential blast zone in the event of an oil train derailement.
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
A series of fiery, and at times deadly, oil train derailments and explosions--from Virginia to North Dakota to Quebec--has sparked concerns about the ever-increasing use of rail to transport crude through North America.
Reporting by Reuters released Monday reveals that, despite this alarm, "tens of millions" of public U.S. tax dollars are directly financing the expansion of oil-by-rail transport in a number of places across the country.
According to journalist Jarrett Renshaw, Reuters "identified 10 federal and state grants either approved or pending approval, totaling $84.2 million, that helped boost the number of rail cars carrying crude oil across the nation."
"The public assistance in states like New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma and Oregon comes as railroads are posting record profits, and as state and federal authorities press for safety overhauls that the oil and rail industries have opposed, following several explosive derailments," the article continues.
This assistance comprises just a "fraction of total public funding for railroads each year, and look[s] small compared to the $24 billion railroads themselves are spending annually on infrastructure," Renshaw clarifies.
Rail transportation of oil is playing a role in driving the fracked shale oil boom across North America.
According to an analysis by ForestEthics, approximately 25 million people in the U.S. live in the one-mile potential blast zone in the event of an oil train derailement.
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
A series of fiery, and at times deadly, oil train derailments and explosions--from Virginia to North Dakota to Quebec--has sparked concerns about the ever-increasing use of rail to transport crude through North America.
Reporting by Reuters released Monday reveals that, despite this alarm, "tens of millions" of public U.S. tax dollars are directly financing the expansion of oil-by-rail transport in a number of places across the country.
According to journalist Jarrett Renshaw, Reuters "identified 10 federal and state grants either approved or pending approval, totaling $84.2 million, that helped boost the number of rail cars carrying crude oil across the nation."
"The public assistance in states like New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Oklahoma and Oregon comes as railroads are posting record profits, and as state and federal authorities press for safety overhauls that the oil and rail industries have opposed, following several explosive derailments," the article continues.
This assistance comprises just a "fraction of total public funding for railroads each year, and look[s] small compared to the $24 billion railroads themselves are spending annually on infrastructure," Renshaw clarifies.
Rail transportation of oil is playing a role in driving the fracked shale oil boom across North America.
According to an analysis by ForestEthics, approximately 25 million people in the U.S. live in the one-mile potential blast zone in the event of an oil train derailement.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.