Oil train bills compete in Olympia this week

Mary Bruno

Mary Bruno Jul 4, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>Oil train bills compete in Olympia this week</h1>
                <h2><p>The issue of safely moving oil through Washington State will be on the legislative agenda this week as competing bills move through the state House and Senate. The measures, writes Everett Herald's Jerry Cornfield, "could bring higher taxes for refiners, larger crew sizes on trains for railroads</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/mary-bruno-crosscut-com/">Mary Bruno</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <figure class="kg-card kg-image-card"><img src="https://www.cascadepbs.org/sites/default/files/images/article/gallery/Oil_Trains_Paul_K_Anderson_617X300.jpg" class="kg-image" alt="Oil" loading="lazy" width="300" height="145"></figure><p>The issue of safely moving oil through Washington State will be on the legislative agenda this week as competing bills move through the state House and Senate. The measures, writes <a href="http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20150329/NEWS01/150328910/Lawmakers-aim-to-toughen-laws-on-oil-trains?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Everett Herald's Jerry Cornfield</a>, "could bring higher taxes for refiners, larger crew sizes on trains for railroads and more inspections of tracks and railroad crossings." The two bills from Rep. Jessyn Farrell, D-Seattle, and Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, face key hurdles this week. On Monday, Ericksen's <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=5057&year=2015&ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">Senate Bill 5057</a> will be considered by the House Environment Committee. On Tuesday it's Farrell's turn, as her <a href="http://app.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1449&year=2015&ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">House Bill 1449</a> comes up for before the Senate environment panel.</p>
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The issue of safely moving oil through Washington State will be on the legislative agenda this week as competing bills move through the state House and Senate. The measures, writes Everett Herald's Jerry Cornfield, "could bring higher taxes for refiners, larger crew sizes on trains for railroads and more inspections of tracks and railroad crossings." The two bills from Rep. Jessyn Farrell, D-Seattle, and Sen. Doug Ericksen, R-Ferndale, face key hurdles this week. On Monday, Ericksen's Senate Bill 5057 will be considered by the House Environment Committee. On Tuesday it's Farrell's turn, as her House Bill 1449 comes up for before the Senate environment panel.

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By Mary Bruno

Mary was Crosscut's Editor-in-Chief and Interim Publisher. In more than 25 years as a journalist, she has worked as a writer, editor and editorial director for a variety of print and web publications,