Here & Now

Rep. Jill Billings Outlines Bill To Increase Rail Safety

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

MEANWHILE, IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE A BIPARTISAN CALL FOR NEW RAIL SAFETY MEASURES. BURLINGTON NORTHERN SANTA FE RAIL LINES CARRY SOME ONE MILLION GALLONS OF CRUDE OIL THROUGH WISCONSIN EVERY WEEK. DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE JILL BILLINGS OF LA CROSSE IS NOW CIRCULATING A RAIL SAFETY BILL. SHE JOINS US FROM LA CROSSE REPRESENTATIVE BILLINGS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

JILL BILLINGS:

THANK YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO, NOW, WHEN YOU SAW THE ALMA DERAILMENT, AND THEN THE WATERTOWN SPILL, WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION TO SOMEONE WHO LIVERS NEAR THE RAIL– WHO LIVES NEAR THE RAIL LINES CARRYING THIS CRUDE?

JILL BILLINGS:

WELL, I WAS NOT HAPPY. MY REACTION WAS, “OH NO,” AND “IT’S SO CLOSE.” WE HAVE HAD A DERAILMENT IN PRAIRIE DU CHIEN THAT INCLUDED JUST CORN, BUT I WAS FOLLOWING WHATEVER IS HAPPENING, AND BY MONDAY I TALKED TO MY STAFF. WE DECIDED THAT WE WOULD SEND OUT THIS LEGISLATION THAT WE’VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR MONTHS. TO SEND IT OUT FOR CO-SPONSORSHIP WITH LEGISLATORS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

BECAUSE THAT, OF COURSE, PERTAINS TO THE ENTIRE STATE, BUT AS THE STATE LEGISLATOR WHO REPRESENTS LA CROSSE, YOU HAVE TWO BURLINGTON NORTHERN LINES AND A CANADIAN PACIFIC LINE RUNNING RIGHT THROUGH THERE. WHAT DOES YOUR BILL CALL FOR?

JILL BILLINGS:

WELL, MY BILL CALLS FOR, SOME I THINK, PRETTY SIMPLE, SENSIBLE ITEMS LIKE INCREASING INSPECTORS. WE WANT FOUR INSPECTORS UNDER THE OFFERS OF COMMISSIONER OF RAILROADS. MOST OF THE DERAILMENTS HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF ISSUES WITH TRACK LINE. WE THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO ASK FOR MORE INSPECTORS. WE ALSO ASK FOR TRAINING FOR THOSE EMERGENCY FIRST RESPONDERS IN CITIES AND TOWNS ALONG THE RAILROAD TRACKS. THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WILL HAVE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE FIRST. AND SO WE’D LIKE EXTRA TRAINING FOR THEM SO THAT THEY UNDERSTAND HOW TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND THE SITUATION OF A POSSIBLE DERAILMENT. WE ALSO ASK FOR THE RAILROAD COMPANIES TO HAVE RESPONSE PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE STATE SO WE KNOW WHAT THEIR ACTIONS WOULD BE IN CASE OF A DERAILMENT. WE ALSO ASK FOR AN INVENTORY OF WHAT WE HAVE WHERE IN THE STATE. WHAT RESOURCES. SOME TOWNS HAVE FOAM CARS. WE’LL NEED THINGS LIKE HOSES AND PROTECTIVE GEAR. AND WE WOULD LIKE TO KNOW PRIVATE AND PUBLIC RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE THROUGHOUT THE STATE SO THAT WE’RE READY IN CASE OF A DERAILMENT.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, YOU SAID THAT YOU’RE LOOKING IN THIS BILL FOR FOUR ADDITIONAL INSPECTORS OR FOUR TOTAL?

JILL BILLINGS:

FOUR ADDITIONAL INSPECTORS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

BECAUSE IS IT ACCURATE THAT CURRENTLY THERE IS ONE?

JILL BILLINGS:

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE IS ONE THAT IS UNDER THE OFFERS OF COMMISSIONER OF RAILROADS. THE RAILROAD COMPANIES ALSO HAVE THEIR OWN INSPECTORS, BUT WE THINK THAT IT’S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE FOUR MORE ADDITIONAL AS THE LONGER, HEAVIER, FASTER TRAINS ARE MOVING THROUGH WISCONSIN AND CREATING EXTRA WEAR ON TRACKS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IN YOUR RESEARCH ON THIS BILL, WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND IS THE CONDITION OF THE RAILS AND TRACKS IN WISCONSIN?

JILL BILLINGS:

WELL, WE DON’T KNOW FOR SURE. THAT IS WHY I’M ASKING FOR EXTRA INSPECTORS. THERE ARE ADVOCATE GROUPS AROUND WISCONSIN AND IN FACT, THERE IS A GROUP IN MY AREA, CITIZENS ADVOCATING FOR RAIL SAFETY, AND THEY’VE GONE OUT TO TAKE PHOTOS OF BRIDGES AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THEY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT. AND WE FORWARDED THAT TO THE RAILROAD COMPANIES SO THAT THEY CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THAT. BUT WE THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO HAVE THOSE EXTRA INSPECTORS TO BE ON TOP OF THE CONDITION OF THE TRACKS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

MEANWHILE, HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE RAIL TRAFFIC OF OIL TRAINS INCREASE JUST WHERE YOU LIVE?

JILL BILLINGS:

WELL, AS THE CITY HAS BUILT UP AROUND THE RAILROAD TRACKS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITH RAILROAD TRACKS IN THE BACKYARD. I WAS AT AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE/ EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SESSION WITH KEITH BUTLER, WHO IS OUR COUNTY EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EXPERT. WE LOOKED AT WHETHER IT’S SCHOOLS THAT ARE AROUND THE TRACKS, WHETHER IT’S ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS, WE’RE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN CASE OF A DERAILMENT AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE. WE THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO BE READY. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT RAILROADS PROVIDE A SERVICE, AN IMPORTANT SERVICE FOR US IN WISCONSIN AND FOR THE NATION. THAT TRANSPORT OF GOODS IS VITAL TO OUR ECONOMY. SO I AM NOT ANTI-RAILROAD. I AM JUST PRO-SAFETY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHAT’S BEEN THE REACTION FROM THE RAILROAD COMPANIES TO YOUR BILL?

JILL BILLINGS:

WELL, I WOULD THINK THAT THE RAILROADS WOULD BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS, AND I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME ELEMENTS OF THIS BILL THAT THEY SAY THEY’RE ALREADY DOING. SO IT’S GREAT IF THEY HAVE A PREPAREDNESS AND A RESPONSE PLAN. THEN THIS IS VERY LITTLE JUST TO SUBMIT IT TO SOMEONE IN THE STATE. SO THAT WE ALL HAVE GOOD COMMUNICATION AND KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENING. I WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AS GOOD P.R. WITH THE PEOPLE IN WISCONSIN. YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING LEGISLATION THAT HAS PASSED IN MINNESOTA AND I THINK THAT WE IN WISCONSIN SHOULD BE JUST AS SAFE AS OUR NEIGHBORS ACROSS THE RIVER IN MINNESOTA. AND I AM HOPING THAT THE RAILROAD COMPANIES COULD BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THIS AND REALIZE THIS IS IMPORTANT GOING TOWARD THE P.R. AND GOODWILL OF PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. WE LEAVE IT THERE REPRESENTATIVE JILL BILLINGS. THANKS VERY MUCH.

JILL BILLINGS:

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.