(The following article by Chris Richard was posted on the Press-Enterprise website on August 12.)
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — State Sen. Nell Soto announced legislation Thursday that would let cities bill railroads for the costs of training safety personnel to respond to derailments and for developing evacuation plans.
The proposal comes in response to an April derailment that forced the evacuation of some 300 people in San Bernardino. Speaking outside San Bernardino City Hall on Thursday, Soto, D-Pomona, criticized “general confusion about the evacuation process.”
“I have a lot of respect for the brave police officers, firefighters and other public servants who are the first to respond to this type of incident,” Soto said. “It is unfair, though, to expect them to draw up evacuation plans on the fly.”
Soto’s legislation would permit local governments to bill railroads for the costs of developing detailed plans. Her chief of staff, Paul Van Dyke, said it’s too early to say exactly how much such programs might cost.
He estimated the cost of developing a detailed evacuation plan for San Bernardino at around $20,000.
Both major railroads in the area, Union Pacific Railroad and BNSF Railway, oppose the legislation. Mark Davis, a spokesman for Union Pacific, said his company already provides free training to safety personnel.
After the April derailment near Macy Street and Foothill Boulevard, firefighters evacuated two neighborhoods.
Some overturned railroad cars contained dangerous chemicals, including chlorine. During the cleanup, some 200 gallons of a liquid solvent spilled from a tank car. Officials say the chemical posed no danger. But on Thursday, several residents complained of health problems, such as breathing difficulties and skin rashes.
San Bernardino officials have questioned the value of detailed evacuation orders. In such situations, residents are directed out of the area, and officials may use neighborhood schools for emergency shelters. But during a June hearing about the derailment, Battalion Chief Howard Bennett said a highly detailed, rigid plan might expose people to dangers they could avoid by leaving the area altogether.
Still, Battalion Chief Jess Campos said Thursday his department would welcome any extra money provided through Soto’s proposed law.