Environmentalists to rally in support of Baltimore council bill banning construction of oil terminals
The groups say the trains are dangerous -- they have derailed and exploded elsewhere -- and that about 165,000 people in
The bill would change the zoning code to ban the construction of new crude oil terminals and stop two existing terminals in the city from expanding in any way.
Information about the train shipments is carefully guarded by the rail companies, so it's hard to be certain how much oil passes through
With the price of oil low, the activists think there are few shipments now. But
"With the Trump administration in power we could see increased domestic drilling," she said. "Now is the time for
Activists say they expect to have dozens of people show up for the rally. They plan to display a model of an oil train, a jar of crude oil and a map showing the parts of the city where people might be affected by an accident.
Kunze said imposing limits on the terminals was the most the
"Every new terminal that could get built would increase the number of trains coming through the city and the likelihood of an explosion," Kunze said.
The lack of any immediate economic impact also makes it a good time to act, said Councilwoman
"People deserve to have whatever help we can provide legislatively and this is what we have to offer," she said.
The measure has broad support on the council -- 11 of its 15 members are signed on as co-sponsors. But the city's law department has raised questions about whether the change to the zoning code would be constitutional.
In a letter to the committee handling the bill, the city's lawyers said that without a clear definition of what crude oil is, the law would be impermissibly vague. And by singling out one kind of oil for special restrictions, the lawyers said, it could also fall afoul of the
The companies that currently operate the two terminals in
Targa Resources, a third oil company, sought to establish crude oil operations at a facility it operates in
Clarke said a definition of crude oil has been drafted and could be added into the legislation. Clarke also said that she has an legal analysis from an environmental group that argues that the measure passes constitutional muster.
Councilman
"That's a perception, I don't see that as a reality," he said. "I'm not anti-business. I just think this is a safety issue."
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