Progressive Railroading, 6/14/19:
North Dakota lawmakers seek Chao's help to fight Washington state's crude-by-rail law
North Dakota's congressional delegation is making its case to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao that Washington state's new crude-by-rail law violates the nation's Interstate Commerce Clause and interferes with the U.S. Department of Transportation's authority over the shipment of crude oil over state lines.
U.S. Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and U.S. Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.) this week asked Chao's assistance in North Dakota's concerns about Washington's new law.
USDOT "clearly has the primary authority over crude oil that is shipped across state lines, which is why we’ve reached out to Secretary Chao," the delegation said in a joint press release.
"Further, Washington State’s law will limit our energy industry’s ability to access safe and reliable transportation for this vital commodity, impacting good-paying jobs in our state and undermining our nation’s energy security," the lawmakers said. . . .
SNIP
. . . The law requires crude oil unloaded in Washington to meet a 9 psi Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP), which will effectively block the Pacific Northwest as a destination for Bakken crude oil, according to North Dakota's delegation.
Washington's new law relies on "unscientific understanding of crude-by-rail transpiration, and according to current science, would not improve safety of workers or those along rail lines," . . .
More here.