Lynn L. Bergeson, “DOT’s Emergency Order Limits Crude Transport,” Pollution Engineering, July 1, 2014.

The growing number of rail mishaps involving oil is attracting much press attention and now regulatory attention as well. On May 7, 2014, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued an emergency order requiring all railroads operating trains containing bulk quantities of UN 1267, petroleum crude oil, Class 3 that either originates or is sourced from the Bakken formation in the Williston Basin (Bakken crude oil) to notify State Emergency Response Commissions (SERC) about the operation of these trains through their states. This article discusses this important topic.