Gabby Brown, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- In a notice set to be published to the Federal Register tomorrow, Donald Trump’s Department of Transportation will repeal a safety measure requiring upgrades to the brakes on rail cars carrying explosive crude oil, claiming that requiring rail companies to upgrade to safer brakes would cost more money than it would save. The original rule was issued in 2015 in response to a series of train derailments and explosions that killed dozens of people.
In response, Sierra Club Beyond Dirty Fuels Campaign Director Kelly Martin released the following statement:
“Apparently there’s no limit to the lengths the Trump administration will go to prioritize the desires of polluting industries over the health and safety of the American people. This commonsense rule was put in place in response to a series of deadly accidents, and this shameless decision to repeal it will mean more workers and communities are put at risk.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3 million members and supporters. In addition to helping people from all backgrounds explore nature and our outdoor heritage, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.