NJ Activists Rally on Anniversary of Canadian Oil Train Disaster to Call for Rail Safety and a halt to New Fossil Fuel Projects
NJ Activists Rally on Anniversary of Canadian Oil Train Disaster to Call for Rail Safety and a halt to New Fossil Fuel Projects
On Wednesday, July 6th, several dozen activists gathered on a Teaneck bridge over the CSX rail lines to remember the victims of the 2013 oil train disaster in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, when an oil train carrying volatile crude oil derailed and exploded like a bomb destroying huge portions of the city’s downtown and taking the lives of 47 people, some as young as three years old. These same trains, often carrying over a mile of crude oil tankers, travel daily through densely populated communities in Bergen, Essex, and Hudson Counties. Anyone living within a mile of the tracks is considered to be in the “blast zone” if one of the tankers were to explode.
Gilbert Carette a resident of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec and an advocate with Lac-Mégantic Lac-Mégantic OESF Citizens’ Coalition, spoke remotely to the crowd and shared that despite the horrific accident in his town nine years ago, convoys of tanker trails a mile and a half long carrying crude oil, propone, sulfuric acid, and other volatile compounds, still snake their way through his town. “You people down in New Jersey are living with the same problem and I hope you will never have a catastrophe like we had nine years ago,” Carette said. “Keep on battling this.”
Yolande Neptune of Teaneck and Paul Kaufman of Bergenfield read the names of 47 children and adults who died in the Lac-Mégantic disaster while CSX oil trains rumbled on the rail tracks below. Monsieur Gaétan LaFontaine, age 33, Madame Henriette Latulippe, age 61, Andrée-Anne Sévigny, age 26, Monsieur Réal Custean, age 57, Jimmy Sirois, age 3, Alyssa charest Bégnoche, age 4…
Former state Senator Loretta Weinberg, spoke about her disappointment that the Oil Train Safety Bill she championed for years did not pass in the State Legislature. “These trains, and we just saw an example of a huge one as they came by here to this bridge they passed by our volunteer ambulance corp, a middle school, temples, and various private homes. This bill is one of those undone woes that I have”, she said. However, she was delighted to share that newly elected District 37 Assemblywoman Ellen Park has taken up this battle and put forth a new version of the bill. (A4442).
“Since 2012 there’s been over 20 oil train accidents in the US and Canada with countless killed and untold environmental damage,” said Assemblywoman Ellen Park of the 37th legislative district. “Bill A4442 would require the owner and operator traveling in the state of NJ to submit to the NJDEP a discharge response clean up and contingent plan. The bill requires that the owner or operator of a highly hazardous train to offer training to the emergency services personnel of every local unit that has jurisdiction along the travel route of the high hazard train. This would allow first responders to prepare for potential disaster and is vital to public safety because knowing the correct information is the only way first responders can prepare, train, and plan for an emergency.”
“Lac-Mégantic train derailment was a tragedy, said Paula Rogovin, an organizer of the Rally and a co-founder of the Coalition to Ban Unsafe Oil Trains and the Don’t Gas the Meadowlands Coalition. “We have seen many tragedies lately, gun violence and so much more. It is critically important that we learn from these tragedies to prevent more.”
In addition to calling for stronger oil train regulations, activists also called for a halt to all new fossil fuel projects and strong greenhouse gas emission reductions here in New Jersey.
“Despite last week’s horrific Supreme Court ruling which removes the EPA’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, here in New Jersey, that does not affect our state’s department of environmental protection’s ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. So while there are going to be far reaching implications from this decision, one thing is clear: Governor Murphy and his administration have the authority to stop permitting the expansion of the fossil fuel industry,” said Matt Smith, NJ Director of Food & Water Watch. “There are seven total fossil fuel projects proposed in various parts of the state including three power plants, two pipelines, LNG export terminals, and a major highway expansion. Unfortunately we have an administration that has not shown the backbone to stand unto these polluting unnecessary destructive fossil fuel projects.”
The Solidarity Singers, a statewide chorus sponsored by the NJ State Union Industrial Council, performed songs calling for a halt to fossil fuels projects and LNG by rail.
Attendees also honored activist and friend, Janet Glass of North Bergen, who died this past spring. Elaine Fondiller, of Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County and others spoke about Janet Glass’ work for rail safety and the successful effort to stop fossil fuel projects including the Meadowlands Power Plant in her hometown of North Bergen.
More info: People who live within ½ mile of the CSX train line are in the BLAST ZONE of trains carrying Bakken crude oil. (Learn more and view a map here)
Video of a crude oil and chemical tanker train traveling through Lac-Mégantic Quebec, Lac-Mégantic OESF Citizens’ Coalition https://youtu.be/zxo_nFOQtFk
Sponsors: Coalition to Ban Unsafe Oil Trains, Food and Water Watch, NJ, Bergen Circle GreenFaith
Co-sponsors: Ethical Culture Society of Bergen County, Environment New Jersey, Hackensack Riverkeeper, 350NJ-Rockland, League of Women Voters-Teaneck, NJ State Industrial Union Council, North Jersey Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, Northern NJ NOW, the Social Action Committee of Temple Emeth, Waterspirit
Who is in the photos and videos?
Senator Loretta Weinberg – wearing a light pink suit jacket
Assemblywoman Ellen Park – wearing a bright red dress
Yolande Neptune – wearing a white shirt and black pants
Paul Kaufman – wearing a bright green, Don’t Gas the Meadowlands t-shirt
Paula Rogovin – wearing a yellow, Ban Unsafe Oil Trains t-shirt
Matt Smith – wearing a bright blue t-shirt
Solidarity Singers – wearing black t-shirts with read and other colors
Elaine Fondiller – wearing a dark green Clearwater Folk Festival t-shirt
