Wildcats stand against oil trains
Photo credit: Courtesy of “Wildcats Against Oil Trains”
Chico State passed the initiative for Wildcats Against Oil Trains with a 3350 – 717 vote.
More than 82 percent of people voted for the initiative, which is more than those who voted for Associated Students President.
Despite the campaign and number of people in opposition of the trains, the transportation of crude oil by rail is still a reality.
In California alone, crude oil by rail has increased from 45,000 barrels in 2009 to six million barrels in 2015.
“Oil trains are toxic, highly explosive, and are a direct threat to our safety and our community,” said Wildcats Against Oil Trains member William Brown.
Oil train accidents can result in derailment, spillage and explosions in the surrounding communities.
Accidents involving oil trains have increased dramatically in the past years. With oil trains hauling hundreds of rail cars with millions of gallons of crude oil through communities, 2014 saw the largest number of oil train accidents since 1975.
Since 2008, accidents by rail have increased by more than 40 percent. And more crude oil by volume was spilled in rail accidents in 2013 than in the past four decades said the State of California.
Accidents by oil trains jumped from eight states in 2010 to 21 in 2014 said the consulting firm ClearView Energy Partners’ analysis of data from the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
In light of the increasing oil train accidents, the Association of American Railroads have began to take precautions of the safety of the transportation of crude oil by rail.
Some of the measures the Association of American Railroads have put into action to account for the increase in oil trains include: Requiring more stringent design standards for oil train tank cars, first response training so those in the area are informed on how to act during an emergency and higher standards for all things from transportation routes to each train’s speed.
Oil by rail is a threat to environmental protection, the safety of students and the community and intensifies climate change.
Although still extremely dangerous and hazardous to the environment and communities they go through, oil train proponents are taking the steps to making the rails a bit safer.
The A.S. are in opposition of the transportation of oil by rail through the City of Chico and Feather River Canyon.
They are promoting student and environmental safety through their opposition of the trains by encouraging the California State Student Association to formally oppose the construction and expansion of oil train facilities throughout California.
California crude oil by rail shipments could reach 150 million barrels by 2020 if they continue to increase. At its current rate, the number of accidents caused by oil trains increased from three in 2011 to 25 in 2013.
Chico State stood in opposition of crude oil by rail by 82 percent making it the first CSU to do so.
Victoria Rohrer can be reached at [email protected] or @theorion_news on Twitter.
Jamie // Apr 26, 2017 at 8:05 pm
Wow. Well said.
Geraldine // Apr 26, 2017 at 1:00 pm
Great article
Stephen Harris // Apr 24, 2017 at 6:43 pm
One day when the ironically named wildcatters get into the workforce, they may realize how counter productive this exercise was. It is not the students fault they haven’t learned earth science, chemistry, geology and a host of useful subjects that could explain how the energy, food and shelter markets really work. It is 40 years of poor teaching that has resulted in this ersatz religious dogma against our energy infrastructure. Out of the 6,000 products derived from oil, such as plastic, without which there would be no computers or blue screens, I venture to say that few of the students could name five, or could go for more than two days without petroleum products. Critical thinking would have allowed thoughtful thinking, as opposed to statis, and looking just a little under the hood, the wildcatters would realize they were played by powerful moneyed forces, that have zero to do with the environment.
Tom Stamey // Apr 24, 2017 at 11:19 am
OK, if you don’t want oil trains then stop using gasoline and you won’t have any. OH! you mean you can’t stop using your car? Well, then you better learn you need to have the oil trains so you can continue your pampered lives.