There are no pipelines available for American produced ethanol. Ethanol is a high explosive fuel throughout. When these derailments occur the immediate danger is the heat from the explosion and the concussion. In this instance the home in the background is still standing. The pollution is far less due to the burning off of the ethanol vs the smoldering of oil.
That said, ethanol produced in the USA have no pipelines available because all are used for oil and natural gas. Ethanol cannot run through those pipelines UNLESS the infrastructure is replaced in new construction to prevent the contamination of the ethanol
I am not setting a double standard. I still firmly believe it is safer to transport the grain used for the production of ethanol vs the explosive product in transit. The incentive for production where the ethanol is being used are jobs and new production facilities. These cars were on their way to New Jersey, building an ethanol production facility in NJ would help any unemployment. In stating that Iowa would be upset if NJ took their jobs away. It is a matter of what is most prudent to the environment.
Explosive materials should be produced where they are used and that is an easy transition with ethanol. Grain can easily be transported without danger to the public. Ethanol is the best option for the USA as their passenger vehicles are replaced with Flex Fuel cars and trucks as well as though specifically designed for E85.
February 5, 2015
By AP
...Local authorities said three cars caught fire, while three others tumbled down an embankment and partially into the river. The fires were extinguished by Thursday morning, and no injuries were reported.
Baskins said that precautionary notifications have been sent to the downriver cities of Davenport, Burlington and Keokuk, which use the Mississippi River as a drinking water source.
The 81-car train originated in northwest Iowa and was heading to New Jersey. Each tanker car can carry up to 30,000 gallons. Some ethanol burned off in the three cars that caught fire.
The derailed cars are DOT-111 models, which the National Transportation Safety Board has been urging the industry to replace or retrofit since 1991. The NTSB calls the original DOT-111 cars still in use an “unacceptable safety risk.”
The federal government is finalizing new standards for tank cars, but they aren’t expected to be issued until this summer.
That said, ethanol produced in the USA have no pipelines available because all are used for oil and natural gas. Ethanol cannot run through those pipelines UNLESS the infrastructure is replaced in new construction to prevent the contamination of the ethanol
I am not setting a double standard. I still firmly believe it is safer to transport the grain used for the production of ethanol vs the explosive product in transit. The incentive for production where the ethanol is being used are jobs and new production facilities. These cars were on their way to New Jersey, building an ethanol production facility in NJ would help any unemployment. In stating that Iowa would be upset if NJ took their jobs away. It is a matter of what is most prudent to the environment.
Explosive materials should be produced where they are used and that is an easy transition with ethanol. Grain can easily be transported without danger to the public. Ethanol is the best option for the USA as their passenger vehicles are replaced with Flex Fuel cars and trucks as well as though specifically designed for E85.
February 5, 2015
By AP
...Local authorities said three cars caught fire, while three others tumbled down an embankment and partially into the river. The fires were extinguished by Thursday morning, and no injuries were reported.
Baskins said that precautionary notifications have been sent to the downriver cities of Davenport, Burlington and Keokuk, which use the Mississippi River as a drinking water source.
The 81-car train originated in northwest Iowa and was heading to New Jersey. Each tanker car can carry up to 30,000 gallons. Some ethanol burned off in the three cars that caught fire.
The derailed cars are DOT-111 models, which the National Transportation Safety Board has been urging the industry to replace or retrofit since 1991. The NTSB calls the original DOT-111 cars still in use an “unacceptable safety risk.”
The federal government is finalizing new standards for tank cars, but they aren’t expected to be issued until this summer.
