Trains Carrying Hazardous Material Require Heightened Security
Today, U.S. Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (MD-07), a Member of the House Subcommittee on Railroads, Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, released the following statement regarding a Graniteville, S.C., train accident that killed nine people. The incident involved a freight train carrying chlorine gas that struck a parked train, releasing a toxic cloud.
"I am saddened to learn that at least nine people have died and hundreds of others have been injured following a freight train crash in Graniteville, South Carolina.
"My prayers are with the families of those who have lost their lives as a result of this tragedy, and I will continue to pray for the full recovery of those who have been injured.
"The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Railroad Administration are conducting a thorough investigation of the crash to determine exactly how this accident occurred.
"In the meantime, we must treat this incident as an alarm calling for more attention to rail security on our nation's 170,000-mile rail network.
"The recent South Carolina incident recalls several earlier accidents that resulted in the release of hazardous chemicals from tank cars. Two such accidents in Texas and South Dakota, respectively, resulted in fatalities.
“Similarly, in July 2001, a train accident in my district of Baltimore City caused a release of a flammable liquid from a tank car. The liquid ignited, resulting in a fire that cost $12 million in damages.
“These disturbing incidents point to an urgent need to improve the safety of tank cars utilized to carry hazardous materials.
"In May of 2003, I was joined by three of my colleagues in releasing a General Accounting Office report entitled Rail Safety and Security that highlighted a number of serious safety risks involved in the handling, storage, and transport of hazardous material by rail.
"That report went on to warn that these risks not only contribute to accidents such as the one in Graniteville, but could also provide a target for terrorists.
"For this reason, I will continue to push for legislation that gives a higher priority to better protecting the nation's railroads, especially with regard to transporting dangerous substances.
"In order help create a safer America, Congress must adopt a more comprehensive approach toward homeland security and refocus our attention on securing our nation's vulnerable rails."