(The following story by Joseph Deinlein appeared on the York Daily Record website on June 25, 2009.)
YORK, Pa. — In a response to a letter from U.S. Sens. Arlen Specter and Bob Casey and Congressman Todd Platts, the CEO of CSX Transportation said work being done on a rail line through York and Adams counties is not connected to “any plans to increase hazardous materials routing.”
But, a few paragraphs later, Michael Ward states his company would “like to offer those communities’ first responders Hazardous Materials Incident-Response Training from our Hazardous Materials Team.”
Several of those who have been suspicious of the rail company’s activity say the letter doesn’t rule out the possibility of an increase in hazardous-materials shipments through the area. That’s especially in light of a 2007 federal law requiring railroad companies to select the safest and most secure routes for hazmat cargo.
“The correspondence by Michael Ward was quite predictable,” Hanover Borough Councilman Sonny Eline wrote in an e-mail Tuesday. The elected official has been pushing for months to find out whether the area will see an increase in hazardous-materials rail traffic.
“Not that I was expecting a public acknowledgement of CSX’s plans for (Hanover), which of course would be a violation of security restraints placed on the railroad,” he added.
Casey and Specter, D-Pa., and Platts, R-York County, sent their letter June 15 after hearing of the worries from numerous constituents.
In the letter, the lawmakers say they, too, are concerned about the track upgrades being done to the rail line that runs through Hanover and Gettysburg, and said they would like a clear answer.
In his response, Ward says the track upgrades are not “affiliated” with an increase in hazardous-materials routing. But he does address in great detail the issue facing rail companies in terms of hauling such materials.
He notes that 99.996 percent of all hazardous materials the company hauls get to their destination without incident. He also wrote that trains are 16 times safer than trucks.
But more importantly, he said, the rail company is a common carrier and, by law, “cannot refuse to carry those commodities.”
No local officials interviewed in the Hanover-Adams County area say they want the rail company to stop hauling such materials through their communities, noting it benefits the local and national economies. Still, several have said they would like to know what’s coming through so they can be prepared.
“We’re not trying to stop it,” said John Eline, director of Adams County Emergency Services. “We’d just like to know.”
As for the offer of training, Ward said it consists of classroom time, table-top exercises and hands-on training using the CSX safety train.
Hanover Fire Commissioner James Roth said he would personally join area firefighters in taking any training the rail company might offer.
He and Penn Township Fire Chief Jan Cromer have been pursuing grants to buy equipment to handle hazmat incidents. But thus far, Cromer said, they’ve hit “road blocks.” He and Roth said it’s possible they might talk to local residents and businesses to raise funds for the equipment.