At noon, the sidewalk in front of the Governor’s mansion on Eagle St. will be filled with citizens honoring the 47 who died in an explosive train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Canada. Today marks the second anniversary of the catastrophe fueled by the volatile Bakken crude oil that comes into Albany on the same weak tank cars that blew up in Canada. The Cuomo administration could issue an order, today, prohibiting the receipt and storage of explosive Bakken crude oil in unsafe rail cars at the Port of Albany. Since Lac-Megantic, there have been 9 additional explosive crude oil derailments and toxic spills in North America. They are: November, 2013 - Aliceville, AL, December, 2013 - Casselton, ND, January, 2014 - New Brunswick, Canada , April 2014 - Lynchburg, VA, February 14, 2015 - Timmins, Ontario, Canada, February 16, 2015 - Mount Carbon, WVA, March 5, 2015 - Galena, IL, March 7, 2015 - Gogama, Ontario Canada, May 6, 2015 - Heimdal, ND. In light of these ten explosions, the protesters declare that the Governor has failed in his responsibility to protect the health and safety of the citizens of the state.

During the protest, the immorality of these oil trains will be expressed both from a multigenerational and religious perspective. Here are the key speakers in their own words:

Andrew Tarwerdi is the PAUSE webmaster and a millennial speaking on behalf of his generation. "The tragedy at Lac-Megantic occurred because protecting corporate profits was put ahead of public health and safety. It is well past time for our government to reject the undemocratic influence exercised by the oil industry and instead work to prevent the destruction of our communities and our planet."

Emily McNeill, Lead Organizer, Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State, states "This train traffic is putting lives in our community at risk, all for the sake of transporting fossil fuels that are destroying the climate. It is reckless. Corporate profits are not worth endangering our neighborhoods and our environment."

"You know Mom, you are really lucky to have grown up in a world without climate change." declares Jessie Kelley, age 8, Rochester, NY. Jessie’s mother, Neely Kelley, Lead Organizer for Mothers Out Front in New York State Lead continues “The science is crystal clear, by burning fossil fuels, humans have created a climate crisis that threatens the future of all children alive today and being born tomorrow. These Bakken Oil trains carry fossil fuels that must stay in the ground. Governor Cuomo and Commissioner Martens have the power to stop these trains, and by doing so, will give our children a chance at inheriting a livable climate.”

Pete Looker, who plays the role of Water Spirit in today’s protest, explains: “I grew up and presently live on the Mohawk River, in Glenville, 20 miles before it feeds the Hudson River. I savor my summer swims which are threatened by both the immediate presence and the long term consequence of these trains. The 40 fold increase in the past few years is a reckless crime that should be stopped if we care about water, about life, and especially about our kids. We should be immediately be transitioning to 100% clean, safe energy, not speeding on a drunken oil spree.”

Mr. Looker’s statement is supported by an energy feasibility study from Stanford and Cornell that determined New York can derive 100% of its energy needs including transportation from the renewable sources of wind, water, and solar.  From a purely economic standpoint, Dr. Robert Pollin of the Political Economy Research Inst. of UMass, Amherst has found that for a million dollar investment we can achieve either five fossil fuel jobs or thirteen solar jobs.

This gathering marks the 12th rally in which PAUSE and friends have protested the continued presence of explosive, toxic oil trains in New York and the refusal by the Cuomo administration to stop them. It is part of a wider week of action across the state and the nation: ForestEthics.org or #stopoiltrains.

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At noon today, on the sidewalk in front of the Governor’s mansion on Eagle St., citizens will be calling for a ban on the trains carrying crude oil by rail in New York. Yesterday marked the fifth fiery derailment this year and the tenth explosion since 2013 when 47 people died and the town of Lac-Megantic Canada was destroyed. In chronological order the explosions are:

• July, 2013 - Lac Megantic, Canada

• November, 2013 - Aliceville, AL

• December, 2013 - Casselton, ND

• January, 2014 - New Brunswick, Canada

• April 2014 - Lynchburg, VA

• February 14, 2015 - Timmins, Ontario, Canada

• February 16, 2015 - Mount Carbon, WVA

• March 5, 2015 - Galena, IL

• March 7, 2015 - Gogama, Ontario Canada

• May 6, 2015 - Heimdal, ND

During the protest we will sign a letter asking Governor Cuomo to take all necessary steps to halt the oil trains which may include using summary abatement for receipt and storage of the oil at the Port of Albany. Under the Environmental Conservation Law, summary abatement can be invoked if an activity is deemed to be an imminent hazard.

Dominick Calsolaro of PAUSE states “It is time for Governor Cuomo and Commissioner Martens to take drastic action and ban crude oil-carrying trains from traveling through New York State. There is no way to evacuate the whole city of Albany and the additional 70,000 daily workers who commute to our Capital City should one of these trains derail and catch fire downtown.”

What we do - or don’t do - in New York also impacts those south of us in New Jersey. Rosemary Dreger Carey of 350NJ states "In New Jersey, we're very concerned about the news of another oil train explosion in North Dakota. That makes five explosions this year. Trains carrying Bakken crude run through our major cities and suburban communities day and night. A similar accident here in the most densely populated state in the country would be unthinkable." Paul Rogovin, also from New Jersey with the Coalition to Ban Unsafe Oil Trains, remarks “We are glad to hear that no one was injured in today's explosion in North Dakota, but I'm not sure we'd be safe from a similar blast in New Jersey. The new rules issued by the DOT this week give the industry three to five years to improve their cars, and several years more to upgrade their breaks. That's unacceptable. Accidents don't wait to happen. People are in danger now. Trains carrying highly volatile Bakken crude oil should be banned."

Charley Bowen of the Western New York Peace Center in Buffalo agrees "We are glad no human life was lost. However, the residents of every house, village, town and city living nearby a rail line carrying explosive Bakken crude oil remain at risk of loss of life, limb and property. It's a shame that public policy continues to support expensive fossil fuels to the detriment of humans and the environment when cheaper and infinitely safer renewable sources of energy are readily available. Gov Andrew Cuomo should act immediately to protect NY State residents, its environment and its increasingly precious aquifers. He should immediately invoke his summary abatement powers to stop the transport of dangerous Bakken crude oil in New York State. "

Sandy Steubing of PAUSE concludes “At this rate the people of New York cannot wait another month, let alone years. There will always be human error and mechanical failures. There will always be train derailments. However, there can be no margin for error with a substance that is this volatile. Fortunately, world class scientists have proven we can rapidly phase out all fossil fuels.”

An energy feasibility study from Stanford and Cornell concludes that New York can derive 100% of its energy needs including transportation from the renewable sources of wind, water, and solar. http://web.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/NewYorkWWSEnPolicy.pdf. Dr. Robert Pollin from the Political Economy Research Inst. of UMass Amherst has found that for a million dollar investment we can achieve five oil/gas jobs or thirteen solar jobs. http:// www.peri.umass.edu/fileadmin/pdf/Green_Growth_2014/GreenGrowthReport-PERISept2014.pdf. Let us move away from a 19th century mode of transportation, carrying a 20th century energy source, into the 21st century of renewables.

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At 11:45 today, the corner of Judson and Livingston near Tivoli Park will be filled with bicyclists about to embark on an Earth Day Bicycle Parade. This ride has become an annual event co-sponsored by the city of Albany, the People of Albany United for Safe Energy (PAUSE) and many other organizations. See attached flyer. As in previous years we are fortunate to be escorted by the Albany Police on bicycles. From 11:45 until noon, renewable energy experts plus elected officials and civic leaders will speak to the press. During this time the CDTA will also demonstrate how to mount bicycles onto the bus racks. We will then depart and ride past several institutions with solar panels before arriving at the pedestrian bridge on Maiden Lane off of Broadway. Children from the Castle Island Montessori School will join the adults during the Washington Park portion of the parade.

“This year we will be celebrating institutions in the city with solar panels because they are at the forefront of our fight to mitigate climate change” states PAUSE spokesperson Sandy Steubing. “We are on a trajectory of catastrophic climate change unless we dramatically move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable sources of energy. The Spectrum 8 Theatres, the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany (FUUSA) and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) are showing us what a good institutional citizen looks like in the 21st century. They are, indeed, models to be emulated.”

Dr. Chris Bystroff remarks on the FUUSA solar panels: “ The 25kW solar rooftop array was installed Feb 2013 by US Light Energy. To date it has produced over 50,000 kWh of electrical power, avoiding over 27,000 pounds of CO2 emissions, equivalent to saving over 750 trees.”

Dr. Dave Hochfelder of Solarize Albany describes his organization: “We are a volunteer group of Albany County citizens who have come together to promote solar energy in the county using the community solar (Solarize) model. The Solarize framework was developed by the US Department of Energy (DOE), and has been used by dozens of other communities across the United States. Our objectives are to educate residents about solar energy and increase the number of residential and small business solar installations by leveraging the cost benefits of bulk purchasing.”

Dr. Steve Breyman of RPI talks about the 2030 plan: “My Environmental Politics & Policy class this semester is checking Prof. Jacobson and colleagues’ claim that NYS can transition its energy system, the whole thing—transportation, heating and cooling, electricity generation, industry, agriculture—to one powered completely by wind, water and solar power with off-the-shelf technology by 2030, or at the latest by 2050. The feasibility study is, as one might imagine, a complex undertaking. Our preliminary findings indicate that, in technical terms, the transition may indeed be feasible; the political feasibility, the willingness of elected officials to get on the right path, is much less certain.”

Rev. Sam Trumbore of FUUSA brings it all home: "We feel morally bound to future generations to move toward a low carbon, sustainable world now." 

Have We Passed the Point of No Return on Climate Change? asks the 4/13/15 Scientific American publication. Within that article Greenpeace is quoted “We have until around 2020 to significantly cut back on greenhouse gas output around the world—to the tune of a five percent annual reduction in emissions overall—if we are to avoid runaway climate change. We need to radically change our approach to energy production and consumption” they conclude. Yet the EPA reports that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the United States have increased by about 7% between 1990 and 2013.1 We need to do much better than this.

In addition to the Bicycle Parade, PAUSE will place Earth Day lawn signs throughout city parks on Earth Day evening so residents and workers may enjoy the spectacle of ‘blooming’ lawn signs on Earth Day morning.

This is a day to celebrate the natural resources and beauty of the planet. Given the escalation of green house gas emissions, how many more Earth Days within a stable climate system do we get?

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What: An Earth Day Bicycle Parade to celebrate institutions in Albany with solar panels such as the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, the Spectrum 8 Theatres, and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.

Why: To honor our one and only planet. With climate change we have a tight and unforgiving deadline to keep the increase of global warming under 2º celsius over pre-industrial times. Institutions such as the ones listed above are showing us one way to mitigate climate change.

Where: Beginning at the corner of Judson and Livingston adjacent to Tivoli Park. Ending with refreshments at the pedestrian bridge on Broadway next to the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York.

When: Press Conference on Wednesday, April 22nd, from 11:45 - 12:00 PM. Ride from noon - 1PM. Refreshments at the pedestrian bridge from 1:00 - 1:30

Who: Co-sponsors include the People of Albany United for Safe Energy, an Albany Bicycle Police escort and the CDTA. Speakers include elected officials plus civic leaders such as Dr. Dave Hochfelder of Solarize Albany, Reverend Sam Trumbore of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, and Dr. Steve Breyman from RPI.

Photo Op: A colorful crowd with earth flags will watch as the CDTA demonstrates how to mount a bike onto a bus rack. Children from the Castle Island Montessori School will accompany the adults during their ride through Washington Park.

At noon today, on the sidewalk in front of Albany City Hall on Eagle St., peace demonstrators will be joining PAUSE to object to the continued presence of explosive crude oil trains in Albany. This past winter we saw four explosive derailments, one after another, in the span of a month. There have now been nine crude oil explosions since July of 2013. In chronological order they are: July of 2013 when a train carrying explosive Bakken crude oil from North Dakota derailed causing the deaths of 47 people, November, 2013 in Aliceville, AL., December, 2013 in Casselton, North Dakota, January 2014 in New Brunswick, Canada, April 2014 in Lynchburg, VA., February 14, 2015 in Timmins, Ontario, Canada, February 16, 2015 in Mount Carbon, WVA, March 5, 2015 in Galena, IL., March 7, 2015 in Gogama, Ontario Canada. Because Albany is a hub for at least 25% of Bakken crude oil from North Dakota, this same catastrophe could happen here.

Sandy Steubing, spokesperson for PAUSE states “We’re putting thousands of New Yorkers and the environment at risk to transport just 5% of our total US oil consumption. Leave it in the ground. As Naomi Klein wrote in her book This Changes Everything, ‘We are living on a planet that is dying and we keep killing it.’ ”

Maud Easter of Grannies for Peace - “The world’s single biggest consumer of the fossil fuels that are destabilizing our planet is the Pentagon. We don’t wanted oil trains coming through Albany to add to climate destruction and supply America’s endless wars”

Pete Looker, also of PAUSE and Schenectady Neighbors for Peace - “I see hundreds of rail cars each day through my window, knowing we and our local schools are within the one-mile blast zone from which our emergency responders can only try to evacuate people. A courageous governor would stand up for us against big oil, using Summary Abatement powers, (as Mario Cuomo did to stop unsafe oil barges) and immediately halt these bomb trains.”

The US Dept. of Transportation the Department of Transportation is now predicting an average of 10 crude oil train derailments per year. Prior to the Canadian derailments this past winter, the assumption was that tar sands would not explode. We now know this is not true. On March 11, 2015, Andy Rowell of Oil Change International stated “These explosions have huge implications for the safety of tar sands crude-by-rail… Put simply, the diluent in dilbit makes dilbit just as explosive as Bakken crude. In an October 16, 2014 letter from Mr. Thomas Keefe, VP of Environmental, Health and Safety Operations for Global Partners to Mr. William Clarke of the Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Mr. Keefe writes “To reduce viscosity and improve flow characteristics, lighter end petroleum hydrocarbon are blended into certain crude oils." (Ceratin crude oils means the tar sands.) It is not just the Bakken that can turn our city into a fireball.

We will always have human error and mechanical failures; there will always be train derailments. However, there can be no margin for error with a substance that is this hazardous. An energy feasibility study from Stanford and Cornell concludes that New York can derive 100% of its energy needs including transportation from the renewable sources of wind, water, and solar. http://web.stanford.edu/group/efmh/jacobson/Articles/I/NewYorkWWSEnPolicy.pdf. Dr. Robert Pollin from the Political Economy Research Inst. of UMass Amherst has found that for a million dollar investment we can achieve five oil/gas jobs or thirteen solar jobs. http:// www.peri.umass.edu/fileadmin/pdf/Green_Growth_2014/GreenGrowthReport-PERISept2014.pdf. Let us move away from a 19th century mode of transportation, carrying a 20th century energy source, into the 21st century of renewables.

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What: A rally to broadcast the need for our government representatives to publicly call for a stop to the Bomb Trains and initiate a plan to switch to 100% renewable sources of energy by 2030 as outlined in the Jacobson plan. (1)

Why: Given the high volume of Bakken oil shipments coming into our city, Albany continues to be at risk for an explosive derailment that would probably kill many and certainly devastate the city for decades.

Where: Outside Albany City Hall at 24 Eagle St., Albany, NY.

When: Wednesday, April 1st, from noon - 12:30 PM

Who: A coalition of PAUSE members and anti-war demonstrators

Photo Op: A colorful crowd with earth flags, mock bomb train, PAUSE banner, and peace regalia. PLUS, songs led by guitarists Terri Roben and Terry Phelan.

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(1) Examining the feasibility of converting New York State’s all-purpose energy infrastructure to one using wind, water, and sunlight by Jacobson, Howarth et. al.

At 5:30 this evening the steps of Albany City Hall on Eagle St. will be filled with protesters, community leaders, environmentalists and county legislators - all objecting to the continued presence of explosive Bakken crude oil trains in Albany. This past week two more explosive derailments occurred in North America bringing the total to seven since July of 2013. The Bakken crude oil that exploded in West Virginia is the same type of crude that comes into Albany every day. The explosive derailments in chronological order are: 1) July of 2013 when a train carrying explosive Bakken crude oil from North Dakota derailed causing the deaths of 47 people, 2) Aliceville, AL. in November, 2013, 3) Casselton, North Dakota in December of 2013, 4) New Brunswick, Canada in January of 2014, 5) Lynchburg, VA in April of 2014, 6) Ontario, Canada last Saturday night and 7) Mount Carbon, West Virginia on Monday. According to a Reuter’s article “It is only a matter of time before a train derails in a major urban area like Chicago or Albany, both of which are rail centers handling large numbers of oil trains, causing mass casualties.”

Here is what a few of our leaders are saying:

Christopher Amato, an attorney with Earthjustice: “It is disappointing that with the lives, property and natural resources of New York hanging in the balance, the Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has failed to respond to our petition asking the Commissioner to exercise his authority to ban unsafe rail cars from the Port of Albany. It is time for the Cuomo administration to stop twiddling its thumbs waiting for the federal government to act and to use its statutory authority to address this imminent threat to public safety and the environment.”

Albany County Legislator Doug Bullock: “We are asking the Common Council to follow the precedent set in the Albany County Proclamation by issuing a similar resolution for full transparency and scrutiny by DEC. This includes rescinding the negative declaration regarding Globals’ oil boiler project and requiring a full SEQRA review plus an environmental justice assessment for potential adverse affects. In addition, the Common Council needs to request DEC’s Commissioner Martens use “Summary Abatement” as petitioned by Earthjustice in October ’14 to prohibit the receipt and storage of explosive Bakken crude oil at the Port of Albany.”

Former Albany Common Council member Dominick Calsolaro in an open letter to DEC Commissioner Martens: “In light of the two most recent crude oil-by-rail derailments this week, it is now time for you to use your powers to protect the health and safety of NYS residents and ORDER AN IMMEDIATE END TO CRUDE OIL-BY-RAIL SHIPMENTS IN NEW YORK STATE! We can not wait until Albany or Syracuse or Lake Champlain is destroyed by a train derailment and subsequent explosion and oil leakage before the State takes action."

Pastor Marc Johnson from St. John’s Church of God in Christ: “The oil trains should be viewed as a social and immoral injustice. Placing our neighborhood and community in the role of ‘sacrificial lamb,’ in the event of a chemical accident is unconscionable.”

According to a May 23rd article in the Wall Street Journal, each rail car of Bakken crude oil holds the energy equivalent of 2 million sticks of dynamite. Albany county receives approximately 6 unit trains a day; each train consisting of approximately 100 cars each. Salon.com reported on June 29, 2014 that Scott Smith, an independent scientist, tested the Bakken crude from three accident sites - Lac- Megantic, Casselton, and Aliceville. Smith found 30 - 40% of the Bakken consists of volatile gasses. Federal Railway Official, Karl Alexy, has stated “At train speeds from 30 - 40 mph you cannot build a tank car robust enough to withstand puncture in unit train derailments.” The Lynchburg derailment cited above was traveling at 24 mph. The National Transportation Safety Board has concluded these unit trains of Bakken crude are ‘an unacceptable public risk’.

We will always have human error and mechanical failures. An energy feasibility study from Stanford and Cornell concludes that New York can derive 100% of its energy needs from the renewable sources of wind, water, and solar. Dr. Robert Pollin from the Political Economy Research Inst. of U Mass Amherst has found that for a million dollar investment we can achieve five oil/gas jobs or thirteen solar jobs. The people of Albany cannot tolerate this risk any longer.

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At noon the People of Albany United for Safe Energy (PAUSE) will host a press conference of Albany County legislators and community leaders at the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Headquarters, 625 Broadway, in Albany. We will endorse the following legislation -

Proclamation of the Albany County Legislature requesting full transparency and greater scrutiny from the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation regarding Global Partners’ Port of Albany proposal.

This act has been signed by a majority of the Albany County legislators. Copies will be available at the time of the press conference.

A year ago this month 400 citizens of Albany turned out for a presentation by the DEC and Global Partners to voice their concerns about the risks of crude oil by rail in Albany.A year has passed and the DEC has neither rescinded the negative declaration for the proposed oil boiler project nor initiated an environmental impact study including a coordinated review with the County. During the press conference several members of the legislature will speak in addition to other community leaders who have attempted to make their concerns known to the DEC.

Alison McClean Lane, County Legislator from the District 14 states “These trains run right through the eastern border of my district in Watervliet and Menands on their way into Albany; I can see them from my own backyard. Our federal leaders have been calling for a reduction on our dependence on fossil fuel since the Nixon administration. Yet, instead of investing in renewable energy, we are still finding new ways to harvest fossil fuels, such as this highly volatile dangerous hydro-fracked oil that travels through my community daily.” Willie White is Executive Director of A Village, Inc. located in Albany’s South End “This issue has been in our communities far too long; we won’t go away until the oil trains go away, the fight must continue and the struggle must be embraced by all.” Reverend Marc Johnson of St. John’s Church of God in Christ comments on the larger picture: “The oil trains should be viewed as a social and immoral injustice. Placing our neighborhood and community in the role of ‘sacrificial lamb,’ in the event of a chemical accident is unconscionable.” County Legislator Doug Bullock concludes “The increasing tanker train traffic through the Port of Albany and Global Partners Port of Albany project will further increase this traffic along with the highly unstable and potentially explosive Bakken crude oil. Tar Sands and Bakken crude oil are now being combined in these tanker cars which poses serious unanswered questions and safety provisions. Most of the tanker cars are the inferior and aged DOT 111 cars which have been involved in explosions and derailments around the country. We are asking for full transparency and scrutiny by DEC for the health and safety of all capital district residents.”

Evidence regarding the danger of these oil trains keeps mounting. On Saturday, January 31, 2015 there was an 11 car derailment of the Bakken crude in Philadelphia. This is the same type of crude that has caused massive explosions during derailment five times since July of 2013. On that date 47 people were incinerated in Lac-Megantic Quebec and 1/4 of the town was destroyed. Last Tuesday a Metro North train hit a car killing 6 people. Governor Cuomo told WCBS Newsradio 880 that the accident scene was the most gruesome thing he had ever seen. Given the explosive nature of the Bakken, had it been a crude oil train, the consequences would have been significantly greater. Approximately 600 rail cars of Bakken come through Albany County every day. According to the Wall Street Journal each tank car carries the energy equivalent of 2 million sticks of dynamite or the fuel in a wide-body jetliner.  Efforts are being made at the Federal level to eventually make the rail cars safer. However, Karl Alexi of the Federal Railroad Administration stated at a National Transportation Safety Board forum in April, 2014: “At train speeds of 30-40 mph, you cannot build a tank car robust enough to withstand puncture in unit train derailments.”

We will always have human error and mechanical failures. The risks of crude oil trains running through our communities are unnecessary in this age of renewable energy. The energy feasibility study from Stanford and Cornell concludes that New York can derive 100% of its energy needs from the renewable sources of wind, water, and solar by 2030. Dr. Robert Pollin from the Political Economy Research Inst. of UMass Amherst has found that for each million dollars invested we can achieve five oil/gas jobs or thirteen solar jobs. The choice is ours. What are we waiting for?

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Seek State Order Prohibiting Bomb Trains 

Albany, NY — A coalition of local residents, environmental groups and a church today filed a legal petition requesting the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to issue an order prohibiting the receipt and storage of explosive Bakken crude oil in outdated and dangerous DOT-111 tank cars at the Port of Albany. The filing is in conjunction with a large public rally in front of the DEC headquarters at 625 Broadway in Albany today at 11:30 a.m. ET protesting the continued presence of crude oil trains in Albany. 

New York’s Environmental Conservation Law grants the DEC Commissioner broad authority to order the discontinuance of any activity he determines presents an imminent danger to the health or welfare of the people of the state or is likely to result in irreversible or irreparable damage to natural resources.  The petition cites to overwhelming evidence that using DOT-111 tank cars to store or move highly volatile Bakken crude oil poses a significant risk to public safety and environment.  The petition was filed by Earthjustice, on behalf of the Ezra Prentice Homes Tenants Association, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, Center for Biological Diversity, People of Albany United for Safe Energy, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Advocates of New York, Adirondack Wild: Friends of the Forest Preserve, and Greater St. John’s Church of God in Christ. 

Earthjustice attorney Christopher Amato stated, “This petition makes clear that DEC has the authority to act now to protect the people of Albany and our precious natural resources from this dangerous activity.  The use of DOT-111 tank cars for moving Bakken crude oil has been recognized by federal and state agencies and the government of Canada to pose a significant threat to public safety and the environment.  There is simply no excuse for DEC to continue to allow DOT-111 tank cars to cart Bakken crude into Albany.  It is time for the Cuomo Administration to stop waiting for the federal government to come to the rescue on this issue.” 

Former Albany Council member Dominick Calsolaro stated, "Knowing that the transport of crude oil-by-train is unsafe due to inadequate and unsafe rail cars plus the deficiencies in the rails, the Governor and the appropriate State agencies must take immediate action and prohibit the transport of crude oil by rail in New York State.”  

Former DEC Legislative Counsel Susan Weber declared, "New Yorkers are waiting for the DEC to do its job to protect the environment and public health from the on-going menace of these bomb trains.  It is not speculation that they are an imminent hazard.  The bomb trains are a catastrophe waiting to happen. 

Reverend Marc Johnson of Greater St. John’s Church of God in Christ comments on the larger picture: “The oil trains should be viewed as a social and immoral injustice. Placing our neighborhood and community in the role of "sacrificial lamb," in the event of a chemical accident is unconscionable. 

Sandy Steubing, spokesperson for People of Albany United for Safe Energy (PAUSE) said, “By prohibiting the receipt and storage of crude oil at the Port of Albany, the Governor and Commissioner could send a strong message to the rest of the nation that the transportation of fossil fuels is too hazardous and the time to switch to renewable sources of energy is now. Will they make decisions appropriate to the 21^st century or will they continue with business as usual?” 

Roger Downs, conservation director for the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter said, "There is no question that the State of NY possesses broad powers under the Environmental Conservation Law to stop the potentially hazardous flow of Bakken crude- by- rail through the Port of Albany. What remains unclear is whether Governor Andrew Cuomo has the political will to put the health and safety of New Yorkers ahead of the demands of  big oil companies." 

Senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity Mollie Matteson said, "The people of Albany have everything to lose, including their health and safety, and nothing to gain, from the continued shipment of volatile Bakken crude to their city. At the end of the day, the question is: Do people and the places they live matter more than the bottom line of a Fortune 500 company?" 

Charlene Benton, president of the Ezra Prentice Homes Tenants Association, said, “Today we are asking Governor Cuomo and DEC Commissioner Martens to use their authority to protect the people of Albany from these dangerous oil trains. The families living at Ezra Prentice Homes live within a few feet of these bomb trains.  Our families deserve to live free of the daily fear that one of these trains will blow up in our backyard.  The time to act is now, before it is too late.” 

READ THE LEGAL PETITION: http://earthjustice.org/documents/legal-document/legal-petition-for-new-york-state-ban-on-bakken-crude-oil-trains 

ONLINE VERSION OF STATEMENTS: http://earthjustice.org/news/press/2014/broad-coalition-of-groups-call-on-governor-cuomo-to-stop-exploding-oil-trains 

Petition exhibits available upon request.

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