Fwd: Oil "Bomb Train" Derailment Today; Come out for Volunteer Night!

[K. Shimberg]

FYI.  Pass along the info.  Know anyone in Phila.?  WV?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Iris Marie Bloom <protectin...@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, Jan 31, 2015 at 4:58 PM
Subject: Oil "Bomb Train" Derailment Today; Come out for Volunteer Night!
To: protectin...@lists.riseup.net

1. DERAILMENT: Today 11 cars from a Bakken Shale oil train derailed in South Philadelphia. The Protecting Our Waters coverage links to ABC coverage; to last year's derailment, and an action alert insisting that our demand to stop the bomb trains not "split" us from opposing pipelines and barges. All three methods are viciously destructive towards climate, waterways, health and safety:

Breaking:  Today the second major oil “bomb train” derailment occurred in Philadelphia, risking residents’ lives, endangering drivers on one of the nation’s busiest highways, I-95, and putting waterways at risk. One year and eleven days ago, early on Martin Luther King Day 2014,  seven cars carrying Bakken Shale crude derailed over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia in a “near miss from disaster.” That derailment put the entire University of Pennsylvania medical complex, the Schuylkill Expressway, the Veterans Administration, Children’s Hospital, and other major institutions at risk, along with a chunk of Philadelphia’s residential population too big to safely evacuate.

 

Both accidents were predictable, preventable, and a near miss from potentially catastrophic impacts. There must be no third derailment. That no rupture occurred is extremely lucky. We can’t leave prevention to luck.

 

From ABC News today...

Read the full post here.

2. GREAT NEWS: SCOTLAND MORATORIUM

In the good news department, Scotland passed a moratorium on fracking! From The Guardian, Scotland announces moratorium on fracking for shale gas: Dr. Richard Dixon, director of Friends of the Earth Scotland, commented,

“While we are calling for an outright ban, a halt on the industry while a full examination of health and environmental impacts is carried out is very welcome. Scotland joins France, Ireland, the Netherlands and New York State in a long list of countries and regions which have acted to stop the unconventional gas industry. We are convinced that a proper examination of the mounting evidence of health and environmental concerns must lead to a full ban.”

3. WEST VIRGINIA: New Ethane Pipeline Ruptured into Fireball

In the painful news department, the ethane pipeline that ruptured into a fireball in West Virginia turns out to be just 15 months old. See the Intelligencer of Wheeling, West Virginia: Ethane Pipeline Blast Creates Fireball. In a logical world this would put to rest the industry's endlessly repeated claim that newer pipelines are safe. 

In a logical world we wouldn't be fracking for ethane (think: plastic bags, plastic bottles) in Pennsylvania's shalefields to begin with. But note: SUNY New Paltz is right now in the act of banning plastic water bottle sales on campus, and plastic bag bans are increasing. We aren't reducing plastic waste fast enough -- speed it up! Ban the bag! And prepare to fight ethane exports to Norway from the Delaware River via 300 miles of ethane pipelines being built by Sunoco Logistics. The Mariner East pipelines are part of the same system, emanating from MarkWest fracked gas refinery in western Pennsylvania, as the pipeline that just ruptured. Don't fancy a fracking fireball in your backyard so that Norway can have ethane? Stop Sunoco Logistics' Mariner East Pipelines!

4. POW Night Out

Come out for Protecting Our Waters' Volunteer Night! 

When: Tuesday, February 3rd, 6 - 7:30 PM at 

Where: Good Karma, 928 Pine Street, Philadelphia PA 19107

We know we just gave you at least five things to do, so why not come out and make those calls to legislators, and strategize about everything from stopping oil trains to banning plastic bags, live and in person with your friendly Protecting Our Waters activists! People who meet face to face in small groups get things done. 

As Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

Thanks for all you do,

Iris, Ann, Steve, Nathan, Claudia, Jenny, Kate, Loretta, Jordan and all the POW Organizers

--

Iris Marie Bloom

Director, Protecting Our Waters

Phone: 215.840.6489
Email: protectin...@gmail.com
Web: protectingourwaters.com

Facebook: facebook.com/ProtectingOurWaters

Twitter: @POW_no_fracking

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