A Concurrent Resolution respectfully urging the United States Congress to pass the "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act."

Whereas, The increased production of crude oil from the Bakken Shale formation in North Dakota has led to an increase in the volume of crude oil being transported by rail in North America and throughout the State of New Jersey; and

Whereas, An estimated 30 million gallons of crude oil per week are transported by rail from North Dakota to refineries and storage facilities in New Jersey and neighboring states, traveling through some of New Jersey's most densely populated areas; and

Whereas, Crude oil is a highly flammable and combustible liquid that contains extremely volatile components such as propane, butane, methane, and ethane; and

Whereas, Recently, there have been a number of rail accidents in Alabama, North Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, and Quebec, Canada involving trains carrying crude oil that resulted in explosions or fires that caused death or extensive property damage; and

Whereas, The National Transportation Safety Board has determined that the rail tank cars involved in these accidents, known as DOT-111 tank cars, are susceptible to puncturing and are substandard for carrying crude oil; and

Whereas, The growing threat of explosive rail accidents requires congressional intervention as Congress is the only legislative body that can effectively regulate the rail industry on a national scale in a uniform manner; and

Whereas, The "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act," which has been introduced in the United States Senate as S.859 and in the United States House of Representatives as H.R.1804, would strengthen safety measures for the transport of crude oil by rail to protect the environment, the public, and communities across America; and

Whereas, Provisions in the "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act" would require the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHSMA) in the United States Department of Transportation to establish rules to limit the shipping of crude oil that contains volatile components, mandate PHSMA testing and inspections of crude oil rail shipments, and increase the fines for violations of the rail transport standards for hazardous materials and volatile components; and

Whereas, The "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act" would also prohibit the use of the DOT-111 tank cars and establish stricter standards for the construction of rail tank cars, which would remove an estimated 37,000 unsafe rail tank cars from the nation's railways; and

Whereas, Other key provisions in the "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act" would require rail carriers to prepare emergency response plans and to disclose the movements of hazardous material rail shipments to State Emergency Response Commissions; and

Whereas, In light of the risk to public health and safety that is created by the transport of large quantities of crude oil by rail through the densely populated areas of this State, it is in the best interests of the citizens of the State of New Jersey and the nation for Congress to pass the "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act"; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):

1. The United States Congress is respectfully urged to pass the "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act," which is pending before the United States Senate as S.859 and is pending before the United States House of Representatives as H.R.1804.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and each member of Congress elected from this State.

STATEMENT

This resolution respectfully urges Congress to pass the "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act."

The "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act," which has been introduced in the United States Senate as S.859 and in the United States House of Representatives as H.R.1804, would strengthen safety measures for the transport of crude oil by rail to protect the environment, the public, and communities across America.

Provisions in the "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act" would require the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHSMA) to establish rules to limit the shipping of crude oil that contains volatile components, mandate PHSMA testing and inspections of crude oil rail shipments, and increase the fines for violations of the rail transport standards for hazardous materials and volatile components. The "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act" would also prohibit the use of the DOT-111 tank cars and establish stricter standards for the construction of rail tank cars. Other key provisions in the "Crude-By-Rail Safety Act" would require rail carriers to prepare emergency response plans and to disclose the movements of hazardous material rail shipments to states.