CLEVELAND, September 15 — The Nevada AFL-CIO passed a Safe Rails, Secure America resolution at its convention on August 25.
Joe Carter, Chairman of the Nevada State Legislative Board, wrote the resolution as part of an on-going campaign to bring awareness to rail safety and security deficiencies.
“I think it is sad when — here in Nevada — casino parking lots are more secure that our railroads,” Brother Carter said. “The railroads have record profits but seem unwilling to make security improvements.”
The resolution is critical of the Union Pacific Railroad for failing to “live up to its responsibility to the communities for railroad security in the State of Nevada and the nation at large.”
There are five Union Pacific Railroad yards in the State of Nevada. None of them are fenced for security, nor do they have a significant security force, or lighting.
According to the resolution, “These five railroad yards have limited security, two railroad policemen in Las Vegas and one railroad policeman in Sparks. There are no railroad security police stationed in Elko or Winnemucca.”
Brother Carter was not at the convention, held in Las Vegas, but he credited several of his Vice Chairmen for its passage, including: John Passi of BLET Division 158 (Sparks, Nevada), Matt Parker of BLET Division 158, and Jerry Coon of BLET Division 766 (Las Vegas).
“These guys really stepped up and did a great job,” Brother Carter said.
The resolution is copied below.
Safe Rails / Secure America Resolution
Submitted by the Chairman of the Nevada State Legislative Board, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
Whereas, a primary goal of the AFL-CIO is to help secure a safe workplace for all of Nevada workers and their families; and
Whereas, the Nevada AFL-CIO takes an active interest in the safety of all Nevada citizens, and the security of our homeland; and
Whereas, the State of Nevada has two mainlines both operated by the Union Pacific Railroad and are involved with the transportation, storage and handling of hazardous materials, one in southern Nevada and one in northern Nevada.
Whereas, a significant amount of these hazardous materials including chemicals, explosives, radioactive materials, gases, poisons and corrosives are transported by railroad through our cities and neighborhoods and in close proximity to our homes, schools, businesses, hospitals; and nursing homes, and
Whereas, the State of Nevada has five railroad yards. Two in Las Vegas, one in Sparks, one in Elko and one in Winnemucca. These five facilities have large amounts of hazardous materials traveling through them. These five facilities also store large amounts of hazardous materials for long periods of time, and
Whereas, the Department of Transportation does consider some of these hazardous materials to be potential weapons of mass destruction. These hazardous materials are substances such as ammonia, chlorine, propane, styrene, ammonium nitrate, poisonous gas, class one explosives, radioactive waste, and spent nuclear fuel, and
Whereas, nearly 85 percent of the world’s chlorine is shipped by railroads. One 90-ton tank car if targeted by an explosive device could create a toxic cloud 40 miles long and 10 miles long. Such a toxic plume, the United States Naval Research Lab reported could kill 100,000 people in thirty minutes, and
Whereas, both major cities in Nevada, Reno and Las Vegas, suffer from weather inversions, an incident of an explosive device in conjunction with chlorine would linger over our cities for an extended amount of time and the success of an evacuation in 30 minutes is doubtful, and
Whereas, according to a Federal Railroad Administration training film concerning an railroad accident at Kingman Arizona, a B.L.E.V.E. (Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion) of a car of propane will result in a fireball approximately one half mile in diameter. Today, July 21, 2006 there are over 50 cars of propane stored or on spot at the propane transfer facilities in the Sparks Yard, and
Whereas, these five railroad yards are not fenced for security nor do they have a significant security force, or lighting. These five railroad yards have limited security, two railroad policemen in Las Vegas and one railroad policeman in Sparks. There are no railroad security police stationed in Elko or Winnemucca, and
Whereas, this lack of security threatens all citizens of Nevada and creates a weak point in the security of our nation, and.
Whereas, the Union Pacific Railroad has failed to live up to its responsibility to the communities for railroad security in the State of Nevada and the nation at large.
Now, Therefore be it resolved that the Nevada AFL-CIO supports the position of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and hereby admonishes the Union Pacific Railroad operating within the State of Nevada for it’s failure to provide the necessary security to protect the citizens of Nevada and the nation; and
Be it further resolved that the Nevada AFL-CIO will use its influence in the state both in political circles and in the media to correct the lack of security that threatens the safety of working families in Nevada and by extension the rest of the nation by the Union Pacific’s failure to take reasonable actions designed to protect the security of the Nevada’s railroad yards.