Des Moines, IA- An Ivy League professor is warning that a proposed railroad merger that would increase rail traffic in parts of eastern Iowa poses an environmental threat.
Radio Iowa reports that Canadian Pacific is asking federal officials to approve its acquisition of Kansas City Southern Railway, which would establish a rail line that runs from Canada to Mexico.
Princeton University engineering professor Mike Hepler says that, “This rail is likely to carry a lot, an increased number of holding tar sands oils and bitumen,” Hepler says. “And again, these are going to be moving through the towns that carry risks to health, the environment.”
Tar sands are a combination of sand, clay, water, and bitumen, a sticky black oil. Hepler says derailments and spills are likely to increase as train traffic increases.
“Given a spark, given a flame, a fire source, this also presents an issue for air quality,” Hepler says, “and the quality for the environment, the soil, the waters that surround the trains.”
The initial environmental assessment from the Surface transportation Board concluded there is a small risk that increased rail traffic would lead to derailments and hazardous material spills along the proposed route.
Hepler made his comments during a recent public hearing about the merger.
