At our June 22 Climate Action NOW gathering group, we’ll have a breakout to plan an action for the week of July 6-12 that will focus attention on the danger of oil (bomb) trains. Here’s why.
We know there is no safe way to transport tar sands and crude. Pipelines spill. Oil trains explode and create sacrifice zones in communities across the country. As we are successful stopping and slowing down pipelines, oil trains are only going to increase unless we help do something about it. National “Stop the Keystone” organizers are calling for over 100 events across the nation during the 2nd anniversary of the Lac-Mégantic Quebec disaster that left 47 people dead. More than 30 buildings in the town’s center were destroyed and all but three of the thirty-nine remaining downtown buildings are to be demolished due to petroleum contamination. So, the actions in July will be called “Bomb Train” events.
Using this link http://priceofoil.org/rail-map/ it looks like oil has been transported on the line running through Westfield and Springfield, then on to the coast parallel to and just south of the turnpike (running through Wilbraham and Munson.)
We are researching this now. It’s not clear that this is current, accurate information. Oil trains may travel further from Northampton than this. But – how much does that matter? Even if we find they’re not in our backyard, does that make it OK?
If you are concerned about this issue, please join us on June 22. In the meantime the website for the national event campaign is here.
