PUBLIC FORUM ON RAIL TRANSPORT OF HAZARDOUS CARGO

A tanker car with hazardous chlorine gas passes four blocks from the U.S. Capitol. Inset shows hazard warning enlarged. -Photo by Jim Dougherty, Sierra Club

In February, the D.C. Council passed emergency legislation banning the transportation of extremely hazardous materials through the District of Columbia. The CSX rail line comes within four blocks of the U.S. Capitol and carries approximately 1,000 tank cars a year of toxic inhalants such as chlorine, ammonia, hydrochloric and sulfuric acids.

After considering a permanent bill for over a year, the D.C. Council passed a temporary measure introduced by Councilmember Kathy Patterson that will remain in effect for just 90 days. A bill extending the temporary ban may be considered by the Council before the ban expires.

Over the last year, several railroad incidents have underscored the vulnerability of our rail lines and the danger posed by toxic inhalants. For instance, a chlorine tank car was breached recently in South Carolina because of a train wreck, resulting in nine deaths and many more people becoming ill from the fumes. Another train crash in Los Angeles was caused by an SUV driver parked on the rail lines. Neither of these incidents were carried out by terrorists.

Terrorists did target a commuter train in Madrid last March, resulting in several hundred deaths and injuries. Since then, CSX reportedly redirected rail shipments of hazardous materials, which suggests the company acknowledged the potential risk that certain chemicals posed to the nation's capital if targeted by terrorists.

Communities such as Takoma Park that are near highprofile federal facilities could be substantially affected by a railroad incident in which these substances were used to poison surrounding populations. Banning these ultrahazardous cargoes removes one of our vulnerabilities and is a reasonable preventive measure. The City of Takoma Park will host a public forum to learn more about this threat, the D.C. Council's action, the CSX response, and what the Takoma Park City Council can do to protect residents. A panel of speakers will present information for consideration and a question and answer period will follow. The forum will be held on March 9, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at 7500 Maple Ave.

The speakers will be D.C. Councilmember Kathy Patterson, waste transport expert Fred Millar, Jay Boris of the Naval Research Laboratory, Ed Stern of the American Federation of Government Employees, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Kevin Kamps of the Nuclear Information and Resource Service. Takoma Park Councilmember Joy Austin-Lane will moderate. Each panelist will speak, followed by a question and answer period.

-By Joy Austin-Lane, Councilmember, Ward 1; Takoma Park Newsletter, March 2005

Replay Schedule

Press Release

Presentation - "Mobile Chernobyls" through Takoma Park?!

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Presentation - Terrorism and Dangerous Cargoes Through Target Cities

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