City Council To Petition Feds For More Rail Car Safety Regulations
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago City Council committee is issuing a watered down response to recent incidents of deadly railroad tank car accidents, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.
City Council To Petition Feds For More Rail Car Safety Regulations
Finance Committee Chairman Alderman Ed Burke would like to see more regulation of railroad tank cars after a deadly runaway train explosion in Canada last July and another explosion in North Dakota last month, but the City of Chicago may have little power over federally-regulated railroads.
The committee has essentially voted to just ask Washington to do something.
"This would order then that the corporation council take action to formally petition the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration to promulgate rules that will mandate the retrofit of existing DOT111 tank cars.," said Burke.
A second proposal to impose a fee on any tank cars carrying hazardous cargo in Chicago has been held in committee.
