BAKERSFIELD, CA - In two months, the amount of oil coming into Kern County on trains will skyrocket. It's a dangerous prospect considering recent crude tanker train explosions in other states. That's why state officials visited Bakersfield Wednesday to discuss new emergency safety regulations.
Officials said California is the first state to implement 'crude by rail' safety regulations.
The concern started last year when there were four explosions involving oil trains in North America in six months. Now those potentially lethal trains are coming to Kern County with two projects on tap to bring an additional 290,000 barrels.
Last month, state lawmakers passed emergency safety regulations with Senate Bill 861, a law that state officials from the Office of Spill Prevention were discussing in Bakersfield Wednesday.
"Nothing is set in stone at this point, but we have concepts from them to take a look at," said Yvonne Adassi, deputy administrator for the Office of Spill Prevention.
The law took effect June 20th, giving the state agency the authority to respond to inland spills. But starting January 1st, it will also require industry to come up with a contingency plan and get spill insurance.
"What we are doing today is trying to talk with industry, get industry ideas," said Steve Sawyer, Assistant Chief Counsel of the Office of Spill Prevention.
The plan will be paid for with a tax of 6.5 cents per barrel crossing California state lines.
"It actually is the equivalent of a sixth of a penny on every gallon of oil, so it's not a huge amount to provide excellent protection," said Yvonne Adassi, Deputy Administrator for the Office of Spill Prevention.
State officials said the first 'crude by rail' project will go online in October, bringing in up to two oil trains a day through Bakersfield to Taft. The other Kern County 'crude by rail' project at the Alon Refinery is still in the permitting process.