Laserfiche WebLink
ATTACHMENTA <br />RESOLUTION NO. ______ <br />A RESOLUTION OPPOSING TRANSPORTATION OF OIL BY RAIL <br />THROUGH THE CITY OF EUGENE. <br /> The City Council of the City of Eugene finds that: <br />A. <br /> There has been a significant increase in the transportation of crude oil by rail <br />through the Pacific Northwest to existing terminals and refineries on the west coast. Oil is <br />transported by rail through Portland to an existing terminal in Columbia County and to refineries <br />in California. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), oil transportation by <br />rail has increased 50 to 60 times above the levels that existed prior to 2010. Fifteen oil-by-rail <br />terminals are proposed, under construction, or currently operating in Oregon and Washington. <br />B. <br /> Much of the oil being transported by rail is highly volatile oil from the Bakken oil <br />fields in North Dakota. The oil is often being transported in tank cars, called DOT 111s, which <br />were never intended to transport volatile crude oil. The U.S. DOT identifies the blast zone <br />resulting from an oil train accident, fire and explosion involving Bakken oil as being 0.5 to 1 mile <br />in all directions. Serious risks are caused by oil-by-rail projects including but not limited to <br />delayed emergency vehicles, oil fires, oil spills, oil explosions resulting from train derailments, <br />increased air pollution, increased water pollution, and contributions to climate disruption-induced <br />injury and disease. <br />C. <br /> Since 2013, oil train accidents have caused 47 deaths, the evacuation of thousands <br />of residents, and billions of dollars in property damage and environmental destruction. In June <br />2016, four train cars carrying crude oil derailed going through the Columbia River Gorge in the <br />town of Mosier, Oregon. The train cars caught fire, prompting evacuation of residents, schools <br />and businesses, and damage to the local water supply, sewer system and soil.In September 2016, <br />13 train cars derailed in Eugene, including one containing highly flammable liquefied petroleum <br />gas (propane). <br />D. <br /> New rules adopted by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) fail to ensure <br />the safety of communities or the environment from catastrophic accidents, spill, explosions, and <br />fires. <br />E. <br /> In the event of an accident, explosion and fire involving an oil train, local <br />emergency responders would be ill-equipped to protect human health, property, or the <br />environment. Emergency responders would likely focus on evacuation while allowing the oil fire <br />to burn itself out. <br />F. <br /> The City Council seeks to address the immediate issue of new oil-by-rail proposals <br />in a timely manner, as well as those oil trains already moving through Eugene. <br />Resolution - Page 1 of 2 <br /> <br />