{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/northwest-democrats-furious-at-trump-administration-over-oil-train-brake-rule-rollback", "Northwest Democrats furious at Trump administration over oil-train brake rule rollback", "2017-12-11", "2017", "2017-12", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Jeff Merkley", "M001176", "www.merkley.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Northwest Democrats furious at Trump administration over oil-train brake rule rollback \r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMonday, December 11, 2017\r\n\r\n\t\n\r\n\r\n\r\n  \r\n    By:\u00a0\r\n    Pete Danko\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nDemocrats in the region are piling on their criticism of a Trump administration decision to withdraw a railroad braking-system rule aimed at trains carrying highly flammable commodities.\r\nThe Department of Transportation said it jettisoned the requirement for electronically controlled pneumatic brakes because \u201cthe expected benefits do not exceed the expected cost.\u201d\r\nThe decision added to long list of rollbacks of Obama-era regulations by the Trump administration, but this one has particular resonance in the Northwest, where a\u00a0June 2016 derailment\u00a0near Mosier, raised concerns about the oil trains that run through the region.\r\nSen.\u00a0Jeff Merkley\u00a0was first to criticize\u00a0the Dec. 4 ruling, calling it \u201ca huge step backward and one that puts our land, homes, and lives at risk.\u201d Other pols joined in as the week wore on.\r\nGovernor Kate Brown:\r\nSafety shouldn\u2019t be up for political debate. The Trump Admin's decision to roll back rules that improve oil train safety is deeply troubling. We expect the federal govt. to put in place standards that protect our communities & prevent dangerous accidents.\u00a0http://bit.ly/2yPQdW8\u00a0\r\nRon Wyden:\r\nThis is outrageous. The Trump Admin is once again willing to sacrifice the safety of Americans in the name of undoing regulations. This is a senseless decision that endangers our communities by making oil by rail transportation less safe.\r\nGovernor Jay Inslee:\r\nHere is my statement with\u00a0@OregonGovBrown\u00a0on the Trump Administration's rollback of new oil train safety rules. This is a reckless and dangerous step that caves to corporate special interests. It undoes rules that are crucial to protecting our communities:\u00a0https://www.governor.wa.gov/news-media/inslee-and-brown-blast-trump-administration-efforts-roll-back-oil-train-safety\u00a0\u2026\r\nThe mandate for \"ECP\" brakes was part of a May 2015 rulemaking by the Obama administration. It required use of the braking systems by 2021 and 2023, depending on the particular cargo. ECP brakes use electronic signals to control brakes simultaneously throughout a train, reducing braking distances compared to traditional air brake systems.\r\nBut the railroad industry fought back, saying it hadn't been demonstrated that ECP brakes would lead to fewer derailments, at least not to a degree justifying their cost. The Association of American Railroads sued, but put that suit on hold after Congress passed a law that required further review of the rule, to be concluded by this Dec. 4.\r\nThat review ultimately included a study by the National Academy of Sciences\u2019 Transportation Research Board. A finding that it was \u201cunable to make a conclusive statement concerning the emergency performance of ECP brakes relative to other braking systems\u201d was cited prominently in the Trump administration\u2019s announcement that it was rescinding the rule.\r\nThe industry and supporters in Congress hailed the ruling, but critics said it ignored agreement\u00a0dating back for years\u00a0that ECP brakes would enhance safety. They noted, too, that the NAS committee pointedly said its report was \u201cnot intended to be a comprehensive consideration of the performance of\u00a0ECP\u00a0brakes relative to that of other braking systems, nor is it intended to analyze the maximum capabilities of a brake system in ... reducing the incidence and severity of spills from\u00a0derailments.\u201d\r\nFriends of the Columbia Gorge said the Trump administration's decision pointed to the need for Oregon to pass \"strong oil train\" legislation next year. In the 2017 session, the Legislature came close on\u00a0a bill that would have would have required\u00a0railroads to carry \u201cworst case\u201d insurance and create state-approved spill prevention and quick-response plans, but the\u00a0legislation died\u00a0amid criticism from advocates that it lacked transparency.\r\n\r\n \r\n           \r\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.merkley.senate.gov/news/in-the-news/northwest-democrats-furious-at-trump-administration-over-oil-train-brake-rule-rollback"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.587945967912674, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}