Dayton asks for added ND oil train safety
Published 8:33 am Wednesday, September 24, 2014
ST. PAUL — Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton wants added safety measures for oil trains leaving North Dakota.
Dayton made the request Tuesday in a letter to North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple.
Dayton says Minnesota is “one of the primary routes” for Bakken oil being transported from North Dakota. But Dayton says Minnesotans receive little benefit from the oil trains while experiencing increased risks of a derailment.
In his letter, Dayton tells Dalrymple he appreciates his leadership to ensure “the maximum feasible safety measures are in place” for residents who live on Bakken oil train routes.
North Dakota’s Industrial Commission is considering new rules that may require companies to reduce crude’s volatility before it’s loaded on railcars. But oil industry officials say North Dakota already has proper regulations to safely send crude by rail.