At BNSF, safety is the most important thing we do. We’re committed to the safe, efficient, and reliable transportation of all commodities, including hazardous materials; 99.997 percent of all hazardous materials BNSF ships move from origin to destination without release. For well over 100 years, BNSF has moved freight through the Middle Fork Flathead River corridor, and we are committed to being good stewards and good neighbors now and into the future. Overall, since 1980 there has been an 80 percent reduction in rail-related incidents and the industry has never been safer. Our ongoing investments, along with the outstanding efforts of our employees, resulted in the lowest number of derailments in company history last year.
Last month, the conservation organization American Rivers labeled the Middle Fork Flathead River as one of the nation’s most endangered, based on false assumptions concerning hazardous materials transportation and BNSF Railway. American Rivers mistakenly charged that BNSF should develop a response plan for a hazardous materials release. In fact, BNSF has had a Geographic Response Plan (GRP) in place for years. Various federal and state agencies as well as stakeholder groups have had their comments integrated into this plan, which BNSF continuously updates. BNSF recently contributed to a “LIDAR” study and completed a Shoreline Cleanup and Assessment Survey. And just recently, BNSF participated in two multi-agency exercises in Montana which simulated a response to a hazardous materials incident.
It is the safety vision of BNSF to operate without injury or incident and we continuously deploy proven measures and seek new ways to realize that vision. BNSF inspects track on most key routes four times per week, more than twice the inspection frequency required by the Federal Railroad Administration. However, our busiest main lines are often inspected daily, which includes our route along the Middle Fork Flathead River. Additionally, the BNSF Avalanche Safety Program for the Middle Fork corridor includes forecasting, education, recommended operating restrictions, snow sheds, and mitigation when needed to further reduce avalanche threats.
BNSF is continually working to reduce risk and has voluntarily implemented specific measures in recent years to further reduce the risk of moving crude oil and all the commodities and products we transport. BNSF has enacted strict operating procedures like reduced speeds, added equipment detectors along our routes to warn of potential equipment failure, and invested billions across our network to maintain and improve our physical infrastructure. We have also worked with our customers to accelerate the adoption of the latest, safer tank cars to further mitigate the potential for a release.
Over the last three years in Montana alone, BNSF has invested over $500 million back into our railroad, and recently announced plans to invest another $100 million in 2017. In addition to operational changes, we’ve added more detectors along critical waterways like the Middle Fork Flathead River and we’re leveraging other new technologies to further reduce overall risk.
While the goal of BNSF is to prevent every accident in the first place, we must also prepare for the unlikely event of a derailment. While the completed GRP outlines specific response protocols, BNSF has also placed thousands of feet of boom, and additional equipment including current busters, oil skimmers, storage tanks, and an industrial firefighting trailer in the Flathead. In the last five years, BNSF has trained over 725 first responders from Montana on emergency response and conducted numerous on-the-water exercises and drills in the area, with several more planned in the coming months. Furthermore, first responders receive access to specialized rail incident response tools.
As a common carrier, BNSF is legally obligated to haul all regulated products including hazardous materials. Every day, Montanans count on the products we move to heat and power their homes, process clean drinking water, and provide the transportation fuel necessary to view and enjoy the many scenic wonders Montana has to offer. Crude oil makes up around 2 percent of the total volume BNSF moves each year. We move more grain (like wheat and lentils) than any other railroad in the United States. Televisions, mountain bikes, running shoes, winter jackets and even new cars and trucks make up a much larger percentage of our volume. Roughly 40 BNSF trains pass through the Flathead every day. If that cargo were to be transported by truck, an additional 10,000 trucks each day would clog Montana’s highways, interstates and main streets. We sincerely wish American Rivers had learned these important facts before making its ill-informed ranking of rivers.
BNSF employees live, work, and recreate all across Montana, and we share a commitment to protecting Montana’s environment. Learn more about our commitment at BNSF.com/in-the-community/.
Ross Lane is regional director public affairs for BNSF Railway.