Over one million shipments of hazardous materials reportedly travel in U.S. commerce every single day. A common misunderstanding is the nature of hazardous materials—they are more commonplace than you think!...more
In the year since the East Palestine train derailment, rail safety has been a hot button issue in the United States. After the East Palestine derailment dominated news headlines in late February and March of 2023, there...more
Here are curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US: • 23andme Is Asked to Confirm if Data Security Is Part of...more
A coalition of 13 AGs wrote a comment letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation supporting a proposed rulemaking meant to close the informational gaps between railroads and first responders regarding hazardous material...more
The US Department of Transportation (USDOT) is suspending a rule that allows liquefied natural gas (LNG) to be transported by rail in specialized tank cars, starting 31 October 2023. This final rule overturns a Trump-era rule...more
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) announced that it has doubled all of its rail safety civil monetary penalty (CMP) base amounts for violations of rail safety and hazardous materials regulations. The changes are...more
Here are last week’s curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US: New Hampshire AG Recovers $25 Million from...more
A 25-state coalition of AGs, led by Louisiana AG Jeff Landry, has written a letter to Tristan Brown, Acting Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration,...more
Here are last week’s curated AG and federal regulatory news stories highlighting key areas in which state and federal regulators’ decisions are having an impact across the US: Show Me the Money: Attorneys General Urge CFPB...more
A group of 15 Democratic AGs, led by Maryland AG Brian Frosh and New York AG Letitia James, filed comments in support of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s proposal to suspend a Trump administration...more
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates, reports on and determines the probable causes of transportation accidents in all modes of transportation, from planes, trains and automobiles, to pipelines, ships...more
The U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to authorize the transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by...more
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (“Court”) addressed in a March 7th opinion a judicial challenge to a Shelburne, Vermont ordinance regulating hazardous substances and certain bylaws related to a salt...more
In a March 2018 decision, the First Appellate District examined several CEQA issues pertinent to petroleum refining and hazardous materials transport. In Rodeo Citizens Association v. County of Contra Costa, the appeals court...more
A United States District Court addressed in a December 7th opinion whether the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act (“Act”) preempted a Vermont town’s ordinance regulating a salt transloading facility. See Vermont...more
In response to rail accidents over the past several years involving crude oil and ethanol, the U.S. Department of Transportation (“DOT”) has been working with industry stakeholders and the National Transportation Safety Board...more
Environmental and Policy Focus: Long-term money a big boost for California's high-speed rail - Contra Costa Times - Jun 17: Gov. Jerry Brown scored a win for California's $68 billion high-speed rail project by...more
By a vote of 29-1, on June 5, 2014, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed legislation (S. 2438) funding fiscal year (FY) 2015 activities for the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). DOT’s programs for crude oil and...more
In an emergency order issued on February 25, 2014, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) directed all parties offering for transport or transporting petroleum crude oil to ensure that product is properly tested and...more
Recent accidents involving rail cars transporting crude oil from the Bakken shale region have resulted in the heightened interest of rail industry regulators and other federal agencies, including the Pipeline and Hazardous...more
On Saturday, October 19, 13 cars on a Canadian National train derailed west of Edmonton, Alberta, and three cars carrying liquefied natural gas leaked and burned. No injuries were reported. This accident follows a similar...more