[Image-1]
We’re used to seeing both freight and passenger trains travel up and down the Hudson River every day. But did you did you realize that the freight train that delayed your commute this morning could have been transporting up to 30,000 gallons of crude oil in each car?
Since late 2011, the Hudson Valley—and New York State at large—has experienced growing concern over a “virtual pipeline” that moves crude oil from the Bakken shale formation of North Dakota to refineries on both coasts. The local problem? The Hudson Valley has become an important arm of this pipeline, with large quantities of oil being delivered to the Port of Albany and then transferred to East Coast refineries, by barge or ship, or south toward Philadelphia, by train on Hudson River rails.
Many are worried about the harmful impact of spills or derailments on the Hudson and surrounding environment, particularly considering the less-than-perfect track record of oil shipment by rail. New York saw the collision of two empty oil tankers and a train derailment in December 2013, and this past February a train of empty oil cars derailed just north of Kingston.
To encourage local dialogue and education on the issue, Basilica Hudson is working with Riverkeeper, Scenic Hudson, and the Hudson Sloop Club to host a free community meeting and presentation titled “Crude Oil on the Hudson: Virtual Pipeline, Real Risks” on July 9. The event will be an opportunity to learn more about how and why the virtual pipeline operates, certain hazards that it poses, and proposals of future threats. From 6-8pm in Basilica’s North Hall.
This article appears in July 2014.
Oil by Rail Week of Action – Remember Lac-Megantic
BAKKEN CRUDE IS EXPLOSIVE, BUT IT DOESN’T NEED TO BE
FACT: Bakken crude oil from North Dakota does not have to be explosive. Oil producers have been removing (stripping/stabilizing) the natural gas liquids (NGL’s), and explosive gases, from crude oil for nearly a century, to make the crude safer for transport. It will still burn, but it will NOT EXPLODE!
WHY DON’T BAKKEN PRODUCERS REMOVE THE NGL’s? They don’t want to lose the income. NGL’s can be as much as 30% of a barrel. Since the producers weren’t smart enough, or too cheap, to buy the equipment and build infrastructure needed to sell off the NGL’s separately…ethane, butane, propane, methane, heptane, isobutane, pentane. h2s, and so on, many/most have just poured all/most of the NGL’s into the tanker car for the revenue.
NORTH DAKOTA OFFICIALS & REGULATORS HAVE LOOKED THE OTHER WAY: Republicans hold all statewide offices, and have a Supermajority in the House and Senate. They have a cozy relationship with the Bakken producers. You can speculate as to why. BOTTOM LINE: They’ve chosen the producers over the safety of the public.
OIL COMPANIES WON’T FIX THIS ISSUE ON THEIR OWN: You know why. It rhymes with MONEY.