Oil companies are shipping explosive crude oil through Syracuse, up to 300 tanker cars each day, risking catastrophic spills and explosions. New York Senator Chuck Schumer has called this a “reckless gamble.” The dangers extend up to one mile on each side of the rail line. We cannot allow this threat to our neighborhoods!
In July 2013, a train carrying crude oil from North Dakota exploded in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, near the U.S. border. This disaster killed 47 people and destroyed the town center. In the past year, there have been derailments and explosions in West Virginia, North Dakota, Colorado -- is New York next?
Crude oil rail transport cannot be made safe enough to accept!
We the undersigned call upon Governor Cuomo and DEC Commissioner Martens to use all their authority to halt transport of crude oil by rail in New York State, and direct all new energy investments toward making New York 100% renewable by 2030.