James River Association Calls for Swift Action on Heels of Proposed Consent Order against CSX

February 23, 2015

Today the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality proposed its consent order against CSX Transportation, Inc. for the April 30, 2014 train derailment and oil spill in Lynchburg, VA. The James River Association is pleased that this action will bring resolution to the enforcement case and hold CSX accountable for the pollution discharged to the James River. However, this action does nothing to prevent a future accident. Numerous key actions that could help prevent future derailments and oil spills remain unresolved at this point, specifically the National Transportation Safety Board study of the cause of the crash, the federal regulations on crude oil transport by rail and the Governor’s Rail Safety Taskforce. 

As the recent events in West Virginia show, waterways across the nation, including the James River, remain at risk. In a report issued by the US Department of Transportation, the federal government predicts that trains hauling crude oil or ethanol will derail an average of 10 times a year over the next two decades, causing more than $4 billion in damage and possibly killing hundreds of people if accidents occur in densely populated areas.  (The full US Department of Transportation Report is available here.) While the impacts of the Lynchburg train derailment fortunately were not severe, this report underscores the potential for future accidents and the much greater impacts to the environment and human life that could result.

“The James River continues to be at risk every day. Our state and federal government must take action before another derailment endangers our communities and our vital natural resources,” said Pat Calvert, Upper James Riverkeeper. “It is crucial that Governor McAuliffe’s Rail Safety Task Force issue recommendations improving safety on Virginia’s crude by rail lines. Additionally, we call on the White House to quickly complete their review of the new federal rail safety recommendations so that they may be rapidly implemented. The time for swift action is now.”

Contact:

Ryan Corrigan
Director of Marketing and Membership
(804) 788-8811, ext. 207
rcorrigan@jrava.org