Railroads Must Warn of Oil Shipments

The Department of Transportation issued an executive order on Wednesday requiring railroads to warn state officials before large quantities of crude oil are shipped. Emergency management officials must now be notified when trains carrying more than 1 million gallons of crude oil are traveling through a state. The new regulation follows a number of recent explosive derailments, including one in Quebec last July that left 50 people dead. Just last week, a train carrying crude oil derailed in Lynchburg, Virginia, leading politicians to call for greater safety regulations. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said, “Today’s actions will ensure that communities are more informed and that companies are using the strongest possible tank cars.”