January 21, 2021

DeFazio and Malinowski Applaud President Biden for Prioritizing Scrutiny of Reckless Trump Rule to Permit LNG Transport by Rail Tank Car

Washington, DC – Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Representative Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) released the following statements in response to President Biden prioritizing Department of Transportation scrutiny of the Trump administration’s rule to permit the transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG) by rail tank car as part of the President’s Executive Order titled, “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis”:

“I’m glad to see that President Biden shares my concerns about the Trump administration’s hasty and dangerous rule to permit the transport of LNG by rail tank car, and that he has directed his Department of Transportation to scrutinize it,” Chair DeFazio said. “As I’ve said from the beginning, this reckless rule fails to adequately study the risks involved and puts communities in harm’s way—all for the benefit of special interests. I look forward to working with the Biden administration to undo this Trump rule because, as this rule stands now, the potential for a catastrophic accident is far too big of a risk to take.”

“The movement of LNG by rail presents unique and substantial risks to public safety and the environment, and the decision made by the Trump administration to allow LNG to move in much larger tank cars without adequate safeguards was irresponsible,” Representative Malinowski said. “I’m grateful to President Biden for prioritizing the review of this dangerous rule, and putting the safety of the American public first.”
 

###