- By Marion Read
- News
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Click this image to see a video of Congressman Arcuri
proposing the power line amendment on the House floor
“This is one more step in our fight against NYRI and its ill-conceived and poorly-planned proposal,” Arcuri said. “We are moving forward in the process of prohibiting NYRI from running roughshod over our local communities. Two weeks ago, a massive explosion rocked the town of Oneida - blocking traffic, shutting down the Thruway, closing schools, and displacing people in Oneida and Madison Counties. It is imperative that we consider the implications of placing a high voltage power line along railroad tracks that would literally run right through our backyards.”
Arcuri’s amendment will require the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, to conduct an assessment of the safety and security vulnerabilities of placing high voltage direct current electric transmission lines along active railroad rights-of-way.
The assessment shall, at a minimum, evaluate the risks to local inhabitants and consumers of electric power transmitted by those lines, associated with a train collision or derailment that damages the power lines. The amendment would also require the Secretary to report the findings of this assessment to Congress within six months of enactment of the Act.
“I am proud to announce that my amendment has passed the House with strong bi-partisan support, and will ensure that the health, safety, and well-being of our neighbors are considered before any power line proposal moves forward. As we learn more about the accident in Oneida and others in Upstate, we must consider the risks associated with running a high voltage power line near the rail tracks,” Arcuri said.
In February, Arcuri and colleagues U.S. Reps. John Hall (D-Dover Plains) and Maurice Hinchey (D- Hurley) introduced two pieces of legislation that would effectively prevent the NYRI power line proposal from using federal eminent domain law to condemn private property along the proposed route.
Key provisions of H.R. 1401, which would strengthen rail safety around the country, include:
- Require the Administration to develop a security plan for covered transportation (railroad carriers, public transportation, and buses), which lays out the responsibilities of each applicable agency when it comes to transportation security, provides methods for agencies to work together, and provides a strategy for agencies to develop new technologies to secure covered transportation, among other things.
- Require the Department of Homeland Security to develop a plan to improve tactical and strategic information sharing with respect to threats and vulnerabilities to covered transportation with Federal, State, and local agencies.
- Authorize three grant programs totaling almost $4 billion for improving rail security, public transportation, and bus security. All security-related grants are to be administered on the basis of risk.
- Increase the number of Surface Transportation Security Inspectors from the current 100 to 600 by 2010.
- Establish the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium within the Department of Homeland Security to assist State and local emergency responders with training.
- Require the Department of Homeland Security to implement a threat assessment screening program for employees of covered transportation providers, including a check against terrorist watch lists.
- Require the Administration to issue regulations requiring enhanced security measures for shipments of security sensitive materials, so that these materials are not shipped through areas of heavy population as long as there is an existing alternate route.
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