Oil Spill From Train Cars Shows We Still Need Pipelines

On Friday, June 23, a train carrying crude oil from Canada derailed just south of Doon in Lyon County, Iowa, causing oil to leak oil into surrounding floodwaters from the swollen Little Rock River.

The derailment demonstrates the need to build more pipelines because they are the safest, most-efficient means of transporting oil.

According to the Des Moines Register:

“A railroad official says 14 of 32 derailed oil tanker cars in the northwest corner of Iowa dumped an estimated 230,000 gallons of crude oil into floodwaters, with some making its way to nearby rivers.”

Although the rail cars derailed spilling oil, the rail company dispatched environmental cleanup crews within hours of the spill:

“Within hours of the derailment, BNSF had brought in dozens of semitrailers loaded with equipment to clean up the spill, including containment booms, skimmers and vacuum trucks.”

“He said that nearly half the spill had been contained with booms near the derailment site and an additional boom placed approximately 5 miles downstream. Williams had earlier said that 33 oil cars derailed.”

Hopefully the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission takes notice of this train derailment and approves the new route for the Line 3 pipeline in northern Minnesota. The PUC’s decision on the pipeline route and certificate of need are expected to come Wednesday, June 27 or Thursday, June 28.