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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTrans 2014-06-09 Item 3 - SCATBd - Draft Oil Train Letter to Governor Inslee / Rail Plan Comment Letter to Ron PateDRAFT June , 2014 Governor Jay Inslee Office of the Governor PO Box 40002 Olympia, WA 98504 -0002 Dear Governor Inslee: We are contacting you to express our deep concerns about oil train safety in our region. The South King County Area Transportation Board (SCATBd) is a collaborative effort of sixteen cities in South King County, King and Pierce counties, the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe and transportation agencies committed to improving our region's transportation system. We have both BNSF & UP tracks running through many our South King County cities. When one takes into account both passenger rail, commuter rail and freight traffic uses this rail system, one can understand SCATBd's safety concerns about the possibility of increased oil train traffic operating through our region We provided comments about the State Rail Plan in the attached November 26, 2013 letter. As one of the most active freight areas in the nation, we have concerns about the impacts from increases in rail traffic. The letter outlined many of these concerns, but it was primarily focused on economic development and overall safety. We now urgently request that you direct attention to an immediate overhaul of the State's capability to respond to potential disasters, such as oil trains and other hazardous materials that are transported through our cities. Like most jurisdictions across the country, we took note of the July 6, 2013 oil train derailment in Lac- Megantic, Quebec. With 47 lives lost in that horrible accident, we compared what might happen in several of our cities if a similar accident took place in our region. According to BNSF presentations, there are one and one half trains of up to 170 tanker oil cars transiting our cities on a daily basis. We believe that a catastrophic train accident will result in a loss of life that could easily be in the many hundreds with residual health problems created for potentially thousands. With the May 7, 2014 USDOT Emergency Order requiring all railroads operating trains containing large amounts of Bakken crude oil to notify State Emergency Response Commissions (SERCs), increased volumes of oil produced, and the operation of these trains through the United States, we believe it is appropriate for you as Governor, to take action with the federal government before an incident occurs along our cities corridors. We suggest that you organize a Summit of all Emergency First Responders and Planners throughout the State to develop an active and sustainable emergency response plan to both help prevent, but also respond to such disasters. There are a limited number of local first responders able to take on a similar disaster without significant help. 27 We have recently met with BNSF representatives and are aware that they have their own emergency responders and do significant training of first responders around the State of Washington. They are certainly part of the important factor in any oil train accident response, however, we know that any response to an oil train accident will also require a coordinated response of state and local agencies. Such a response has to be carefully planned and practiced in advance. In conclusion, we believe a major effort directed and coordinated by your office on oil train accident response is needed or it will not get the attention and funding that is required for the safety of people and property along the railways in our region. We must do all we can to prevent a Lac- Megantic -scale disaster from happening here! Thank you for your consideration and action. Sincerely, Marcie Palmer, Chair Bill Peloza, Vice -Chair Councilmember, City of Renton Councilmember, City of Auburn South County Area Transportation Board Enclosure: State Rail Plan Comment Letter dated November 26, 2013 cc: SCATBd members Senator Mark Mullet Rep. Jay Rodne Rep. Chad Magendanz Senator Bob Hasegawa Rep. Zack Hudgins Rep. Steve Bergquist Senator Tracey Eide Rep. Linda Kochmar Rep. Roger Freeman Senator Pam Roach Rep. Cathy Dahlquist Rep. Christopher Hurst Senator Karen Keiser Rep. Tina Orwall Rep. Dave Upthegrove 28 Senator Sharon Nelson Rep. Eileen Cody Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon Senator Adam Kline Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos Rep. Eric Pettigrew Senator Steve Litzow Rep. Tana Senn Rep. Judy Clibborn Senator Joe Fain Rep. Mark Hargrove Rep. Pat Sullivan King County Councilmembers KC Executive Pierce County Councilmembers PC Executive RAMP Members Seattle Port Tacoma Port MIT 29 November 26, 2013 Ron Pate, Rail Director PO Box 47407 310 Maple Park Avenue SE Olympia, WA 98504 -7407 Dear Mr. Pate, Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Washington State Rail Plan, public review draft. The South County Area Transportation Board (SCATBd) is a collaborative effort of local elected officials who are committed to improving the region's transportation system. SCATBd represents an area that encompasses 16 south King County cities including 690,000 city and county residents, and is home to over 300,000 jobs. The south King County area also has one of the largest manufacturing and industrial areas in the Pacific Northwest, and our area's transportation system plays an important role in supporting the economic vitality of the region and state through the efficient movement of people and goods. The State's two Class 1 rail lines run through the south King County area. Local Transportation Funding Short -Falls The draft plan forecasts increasing demand for passenger and freight rail services in Washington State, and an increase in rail traffic will affect traffic delay and safety at at -grade crossings in our valley cities. Table Dl of the draft plan lists a number of partially funded and unfunded grade separation projects in the south King County area. However, because of mounting funding shortfalls, SCATBd jurisdictions are unable to fund these needed grade separation projects. SCATBd members recommend the draft plan highlight the local agency funding shortfalls for these grade separation projects and the impacts of not building these grade separation projects on the movement of people and freight. In order to continue and facilitate state -level revenue and funding discussions, we need to acknowledge our local funding shortfalls in our various local and state transportation planning documents such as the Washington State Rail Plan and the Washington State Freight Mobility Plan. At -Grade Crossings Transportation Impacts to Local Communities One of the themes that emerged from the draft Washington State Rail Plan stakeholders outreach efforts included community impacts of rail. Stakeholders identified the need to address traffic congestion and safety at at -grade crossings, and to evaluate opportunities for freight and passenger rail to contribute to local economic development. The draft rail plan section entitled "Challenges and Other Issues Facing Class 1 Rail Roads, Relationships Between Communities and Class I Railroads (page 46)" should be expanded to include a more in -depth analysis on the impacts of freight rail and passenger rail traffic at at -grade crossings. The analysis should include a focus on the impacts of freight and passenger rail operations on surface movement of people 30 and freight at at -grade crossings. The analysis should also include the economic and social impacts of travel delays experienced by travel of emergency vehicles, truck freight traffic, passenger vehicles and transit. Impacts of Potential Increase in Coal and Crude Oil Train Traffic SCATBd would also like to see an expanded discussion and analysis on the impacts of potential coal and crude oil train traffic on the capacity for existing and future freight and passenger rail traffic. Currently, several proposals are under consideration to enhance port capacity, including a bulk coal export facility at Cherry Point in Whatcom County. If the Cherry Point bulk export facility were to be developed, it could add up to 18 mile- and -a -half long trains per day. Oil refineries in our state have typically received crude oil shipments from Alaska and elsewhere by ship, barges or pipelines, but refiners are increasingly turning to trains to take advantage of a boom in oil from North Dakota's Bakken region. This potential increase in coal and crude oil trail traffic could result in significant impacts to both current and future freight and passenger train traffic in our state, including our region's Sounder Commuter Rail Service. This potential increase in coal and crude oil train traffic is a major concern for SCATBd members because of the possible impacts to south King County cities, our regional and statewide economy. Our region's economy relies on the rail corridor to move parts and finished products and an increase in coal and crude oil train traffic could impact existing and future rail- dependent economic development. This increase in coal and crude oil train traffic would also have significant impacts at at -grade crossings, impacting the flow of freight and goods flowing to and from our ports to the industrial and warehousing areas in the Green River Valley area. SCATBd supports the draft rail plan's vision that is guided by the six transportation system policy goals established by the state legislature which includes: economic vitality, preservation, safety, mobility, environment, and stewardship. SCATBd members are keenly aware of the economic importance of Washington's freight and passenger rail system and the key role it plays in the multimodal transportation system that keeps people, freight and goods moving in Washington State. Our local transportation systems also provide an important foundation for Washington's economy. It provides the vital connections that link our homes to our work places and carry products to market. Again, thank you for the opportunity to comment on the draft Washington State Rail Plan and if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Sincerely, Pete Lewis Marcie Palmer Chair Vice Chair South County Area Transportation Board 31