WNYT | April 22, 2014 | Staff Report
ALBANY - There are growing concerns about rail tankers carrying oil and other combustibles coming into Albany.
Other New York communities are expressing concern too.
They're worried about a fire or explosion in a densely populated neighborhood.
Now a US Senator wants to take action.
Senator Charles Schumer from New York wants local authorities to know when rail companies are transporting potentially hazardous materials through their communities.
Schumer is proposing a federal requirement for rail companies to notify local first- responders when they plan to transport cargo such as crude oil or ethanol.
Schumer says Rockland and Orange Counties were turned down when they requested that kind of notice from rail companies.
On Monday, a coalition of environmental groups and local residents asked the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to set a deadline for a crude oil shipper to provide more details on its Port of Albany operations.
The letter says they want details on global companies current and planned operations by May 3.
