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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 05222007 - SD.7 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS v FROM: SUPERVISOR GAYLE B. UILKEMA -' Contra .� DATE: May 09, 2007 Costac`o sq County SUBJECT: Railroad Shipments Carrying Hazardous Materials SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION(S): Direct the Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee to consider alternative routing and storage of railroad shipments carrying highly hazardous materials, including the court decisions dealing with the railcar rerouting of highly hazardous materials around Washington, D. C. FISCAL IMPACT: None BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATION(S): Railcars carrying and storing highly hazardous materials in and through urban areas area threat to the communities that are close to the railroads and railroad sidings used for storage. The threat comes from a train accident or terrorist actions. January 6,2005 in Graniteville, South Carolina there was a train wreck that released 11,500 pounds of chlorine,which resulted in nine deaths and 529 people seeking medical attention. Iraqi insurgents are using chlorine cylinders as a weapon in Iraq. Chlorine is one of the highly hazardous materials that are transported or stored on railroad sidings throughout Contra Costa County. Washington, D. C. passed on February 2,2005 a temporary ban on the shipments of highly hazardous materials through the city. The ordinance was challenged by CSX railroad in court with the District Court finding in favor of the City's authority to require this ban. The decision was appealed to the Appellate Court and on the appeal determined that federal law preempts the rail transportation requirements. The case is still in the court system. California legislature passed AB 158: Special Railroad Safety Task Force in 2006 to study certain railroad safety issues, and make recommendations for improving railroad safety measures. The US Congress is considering rail safety in the Surface Transportation and the Rail Security Act of 2007 (S184). Concerns have been raised because of the many rail shipments of highly hazardous materials that are shipped and stored throughout Contra Costa County. Storage of railcars in populated areas of the County that are containing highly hazardous materials may be close to facilities that have sensitive populations, such as schools, day care facilities, etc. Some of the shipments' final or original shipping points are located in the County. The rail rerouting options of highly hazardous materials should be explored, as well as the rail storage of highly hazardous materials. Directing the Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee to review the actions that are being taken and the options that are available to the County for the safe rail transportation and storage of highly hazardous materials will give the Board of Supervisors the needed information to take any appropriate actions that the Board deems to be necessary. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: NO SIGNATURE: RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE: GAYLE B.UILKEMA ACTION OF BOARD ON �Gr APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OT R VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS (ABSENTAND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS O E DATE SHOWN. ATTESTED d loff7Cullen,Clerk of the Board of ervisors and County Administrator BY' ,DEPUTY Contact Person:Stephen Dexter CC: Supervisor District 2 County Administrator Hazardous Materials Programs Director REQUEST TO SPEAK FORM (3 Minute Limit) I wish to speak on Agenda Item #: 7 i Complete this form and place it in the upright box near the - Date: ® 5' 2 6 speaker's podium, and wait to be called by the Chair. My comments will be: J' GeneI Personal it formation is optional. This speaker's card 1"411 be iticotporaled into the public record of this nneeting. 1:1 For Name (PRINT): /\ � E ` C WA ❑ Against To ensure your naive is announced c—°o ectly,yotr tay want to include its phonetic spelling I wish to speak.on the subject of: Address: C®i ��. � hr`s f �,;1'�s egc�' City: �) H• YI Lzd-ya 7. ailfS w Phone: I am speaking for: Myself ❑ I do not want to speak but would like to ❑ Organization: leave comments for the Board to consider (Use the back of this foriii)