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State Lawmakers Push Oil Train Safety Bill

The thought of more oil trains rolling through Spokane and cross-state to western shipping terminals tends to make state and federal lawmakers worry. So they're casting about for ways to reduce risks to public safety.

A Washington state Senate committee will hold a special hearing in Spokane Tuesday morning on a bill to set up a statewide spill prevention and response act.

It's a measure sponsored by Republicans Mike Baumgartner of Spokane and Dough Ericksen of Ferndale, who is chair of the Energy, Environment and Telecommunications committee.

The bill would require the state department of ecology to consult with federal agencies and transportation groups to analyze the safety of shipping oil by rail and by barge, and to impose a small per barrel tax to pay first responders training and equipment.

The Spokane city council has already asked for safety studies on the issue.

The nation's railroads, including the two major ones which funnel heavy traffic through Spokane, are asking for tougher federal tank car standards.

But the rail lines are wary of imposing lower speed limits on unit trains of oil or flammable chemical cars.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe officials calculated that lowering the speed from 50 miles an hour to 30 along just one route would be costly. The line would have to spend nearly 3-billion dollars for new track and sidings to allow other trains to overtake the slower ones. In other words, huge new costs for shippers and ultimately, for consumers.

The special state senate hearing is scheduled Tuesday morning at 10:30 in the city hall council chambers.

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