U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) issued the following statement today in response to the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) release of new rules requiring railroads to develop comprehensive oil spill response plans.  

“The rules announced today by the Department of Transportation represent a small step forward, but we still have much bigger issues that have not been addressed.”

Senator Cantwell has been a constant voice in increasing tanker car safety and reducing volatility of crude oil that passes through communities in Washington state and throughout the country. The rule announced today comes as a result of provisions Cantwell passed through Congress in 2015 to require railroads to develop comprehensive oil spill response plans. She has also pressed the U.S. Department of Transportation to set standards for the volatility of crude oil to protect communities along rail lines.

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