Survey of nearly 300 Minnesota railway communities follows Governor's railway safety meetings

Governor Dayton today urged the federal government to adopt stronger railway safety standards

Governor Dayton calls on North Dakota to make oil shipments safer

ST. PAUL, MN - Governor Mark Dayton today reached out to 300 communities located along railway routes in Minnesota, asking how increased rail traffic and the volatility of oil shipments are impacting local budgets and the quality of life enjoyed by area residents.

After hosting a series of railway safety meetings across the state this summer, Governor Dayton is digging deeper with a community-by-community analysis of the local costs and impacts of increased railway traffic. The Governor will use this input to inform the state's ongoing response to the issue, and to develop recommendations to the Legislature for how the state can help local governments address the additional costs, safety concerns, and infrastructure needs caused by a steady increase in railway traffic.

"In my meetings with local leaders across the state this summer, it became clear that increased traffic on our railways is having real and costly impacts on Minnesota communities," said Governor Dayton. "This survey will help identify those challenges, and provide a roadmap for the state to address these problems in the 2015 Legislative Session."

During railway safety meetings this summer, the Governor met with local leaders and emergency managers to review the state's new railway safety laws and to discuss other ways the state can partner with communities to enhance the safety of Minnesotans. Building on those conversations, the Governor's railway safety survey asks communities how increased freight traffic is impacting them, including:

• What are your biggest challenges related to rail traffic?
• What costs have your community incurred to address the increased rail traffic?
• What additional costs does your community foresee to address the increased rail traffic?

For a full copy of the letter sent to local governments today, /governor/assets/2014_09_24_survey_railway_impacts.pdf_tcm1055-92387.pdfclick here. Citizens who have input or concerns about the impacts of increased railway traffic are encouraged to contact the Governor Dayton's Office through this contact form on the Governor's website.

Governor Urges Adoption of Stronger Federal Railway Safety Standards
In a separate /governor/assets/2014_09_24_pipeline_hazardous_materials_safety_admin.pdf_tcm1055-92388.pdfletter to the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration today, Governor Dayton urged the federal government to adopt stronger railway safety standards nationwide. The Governor's letter, and comments submitted on behalf of the State of Minnesota, detail the increasing volume of oil shipments through the state and the dangers those shipments pose to Minnesota residents.

"Minnesota will continue to be the epicenter of Bakken oil movement for the foreseeable future as the amount of oil coming out of the Bakken region increases on a nearly daily basis," wrote Governor Dayton. "These train movements have a significant impact on almost 3.5 million of the state's 5 million citizens who reside in communities on Bakken oil and ethanol 'high-hazard flammable train' routes."

A full copy of the Governor's letter and comments /governor/assets/2014_09_24_pipeline_hazardous_materials_safety_admin.pdf_tcm1055-92388.pdfis available here.

Governor Dayton Urges North Dakota to Make Oil Shipments Safer
Tuesday afternoon, Governor Dayton /governor/assets/20140913_governor_dalrymple_letter.pdf_tcm1055-92389.pdfsent this letter to North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple, urging North Dakota to make oil shipments safer before entering Minnesota communities.

During one of Governor Dayton's railway safety meetings this month in Moorhead, an audience member suggested that North Dakota could be doing more to reduce the volatility of the crude oil shipments traveling through Minnesota, and thereby reduce the potential for dangerous explosions. Similar concerns were voiced at other "Bakken 101" meetings hosted by Governor Dayton around the state.

Governor Dayton took that suggestion to the Governor of North Dakota, and urged the North Dakota Industrial Commission to "quickly establish oil conditioning standards that will decrease the volatility of Bakken oil being exported from North Dakota." Governor Dayton noted in his letter to Governor Dalrymple that Texas, another major oil-producing state, already has stabilization requirements in law.

"In Minnesota, we are doing our part to ensure the safety and security of our citizens and the communities in which they live," wrote Governor Dayton. "Last spring, I signed into law comprehensive prevention and emergency response improvements. However, only the State of North Dakota has direct control over the safety of the products being shipped into our state."

For a closer look at new railway safety laws signed by Governor Dayton this year, click here.