- Sanzone, Danielle. "County Files Suit against Crude Oil Business." County Files Suit against Crude Oil Business, September 01, 2015. Accessed October 04, 2015. http://www.troyrecord.com/business/20150901/county-files-suit-against-crude-oil-business.
- What two (or more) quotes capture the message of the article?
- Officials at a press conference Tuesday said that samples taken last year showed high levels of benzene, a known human carcinogen. Local, state and national leaders stood out front of a court building in Albany and said that the oil facility is just a matter of feet – about 20 to 100 feet – from the housing development, a playground, and nearby businesses.
- Sierra Club president Aaron Mair stated: “But it is low-income communities and people of color that have born the disproportionate brunt of this virtual pipeline on rails, especially at the Port of Albany. State policies and federal laws designed to protect our most vulnerable communities can no longer be ignored. The Sierra Club is proud to be joining Albany County in addressing this great environmental and social inequity.”
- Albany County is also filing a brief in U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Secretary of Transportation challenging the adequacy of the final rules promulgated by the secretary regarding oil by rail safety measures.
- What is the main point of the article, and how is it supported?
- The main point of the article is to inform readers that Albany County, along with several environmental advocacy organizations will potentially be filing two separate law suits regarding the oil trains in Albany. The first lawsuit will be against energy giant Global Partners, who own several oil facilities in the Port of Albany and plan on bringing more oil throughout the area. Elevated levels of Benzene in the area have been blamed on Global’s facilities and while the NYS DEC said they are within compliance, several groups, including the EPA, believe the DEC’s decision was incorrect. The second lawsuit involves the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, regarding his final decisions on oil-by-rail legislation.
- What actors (individuals or organizations) are referred to? (Provide names and short descriptions.)
- AC Executive Dan McCoy – McCoy has taken a very aggressive stance against the oil trains in the port of Albany. Being a former firefighter may potentially impact his feelings on the oil trains, not wanting to put their lives at risk.
- Earth Justice – While there are several environmental groups involved in these matters, Earth Justice would be the ones representing the county in both of these trials.
- Global Partners – They own several facilities at the Port of Albany pertaining to oil and the oil trains. They are the suspected culprits behind the elevated levels of benzene found near the Ezra Prentice Apartments.
- US DOT – They regulate all transportation of oil by rail and set standards for hull thickness and contents that can/can’t be transported.
- What kind of causation or responsibility is argued or implied in the article?
- Albany County, along with the environmental groups, believe that the EPA, DEC, and DOT have an obligation protect it’s citizens from potential dangers, in this case, the oil trains. They have an extra responsibility to protect vulnerable groups like those who live in Ezra Prentice apartments. Since Albany County believes that the EPA, DEC, and DOT are not fulfilling their duties, they plan on bringing them to court.
- How (if at all) are health disparities or other equity issues addressed in the article or report?
- Look above.
- What three points, details or references from the article did you follow up on to advance your understanding of the issued and actors described in the article?
- This article made me want to find out more about Earth Justice and what they do, as they seem different than other groups such as the Sierra Club and Scenic Hudson. What I found from a quick search online is that they primarily are an environmental law group. They will take on cases such as the one in Albany and fight to protect the environment. I think it would be worth seeing what other cases they have worked on that might pertain to Albany, oil trains, or air pollution in general.
- This article also made me follow up on what Dan McCoy has done during his time in Albany and also what measures the US DOT have done recently regarding oil trains.