Skyline of Clatskanie, Oregon
It's apparent that campaign season's just around the corner; Oregon's supposed "governor" has ordered a "top to bottom review of Oregon oil train safety" according to The Zero, and of course another Portland Democratic is sponsoring legislation on the subject. There's just one teensy little problem:
Oregon can't mandate the type of railcar.
It (via ODOT) could increase the number of hazmat safety inspectors looking at oil trains. (They currently have just one who looked at 8 of the 110 oil trains that went to the terminal near Clatskanie last year.)
Oregon can't ban oil trains.
It could pay inspectors what they make doing the same job for the Federal Railroad Administration (and promptly hire replacements when those inspectors retire).
Oregon could require:
* Railroads to tell emergency responders and the public what and where they're hauling oil and other hazmat.
* Railroads to plan for worst-case oil spills and mandate disclosure of emergency response equipment to state oil spill officials.
* Railroads to provide mandatory training for emergency responders (not just voluntarily).
* The same level of advance disclosure from railroads moving oil as is required of ships.
* ODOT could analyze records that railroads are supposed to file saying what they've hauled in the state and where and share that information with oil spill officials at DEQ.
So, although there are a few steps that the state can take - albeit at considerable expense to taxpayers, given the costs associated with hiring additional state employees with their Cadillac healthcare plans and other benefits - which might to some small degree provide extra margins of safety (although it should be noted that of the 110 oil trains that went to Clatskanie, not one spill or other accident occurred).
But apart from those tiny steps, the Democratics are simply grandstanding' showing their base that "they care".
