Economy

June 15, 2015, 12:19 PM
Last updated: Tuesday, June 16, 2015, 7:46 AM
By JAMES M. O’NEILL
staff writer | The Record

A package of bills designed to improve the safe operation of freight trains that transport millions of gallons of volatile crude oil through North Jersey every week passed a state Senate committee Monday and now moves to the full Senate for a vote.

One of the bills would require the owner or operator of such trains to submit plans to the state Department of Environmental Protection detailing how the company would clean up any spill. The plans would have to be renewed every five years. ... The rail companies would also be required to offer training to emergency responders in each town along the rail route, and also provide the DEP with proof that the rail company has the financial means to clean up a spill and remove any damaged or disabled train equipment carrying hazardous materials.

Related: More work needed to shore up Oradell Reservoir bridge used by oil trains

The bill also tries to require more public notice of train cargo and movements to address what many in North Jersey have expressed deep concern about – the lack of information about the train shipments and the materials being sent along the lines. However, it’s not clear how successful this effort would be because new federal regulations make such information all but impossible for the public to obtain.

The bill would require each rail company to make available on its website information about the routes and volumes of cargo to the extent the information does not conflict with federal law. The information must be updated on a monthly basis. The websites should also provide an analysis of the consequences of a major spill along the rail line, the current level of catastrophic insurance coverage carried by each company and a copy of the company’s most current cleanup plan.