Assessing Regulatory Compliance and Community Air Pollution Impacts of Crude Oil by Rail Transport in Baltimore City, Maryland

Increased fracking since 2011 has resulted in the transport of crude oil by rail (CBR) to refineries and ports across the United States. Previous derailments of trains transporting CBR have resulted in dozens of deaths and polluted air, soil, and waterways. A derailment of a train carrying crude oil in Baltimore, Maryland, could adversely impact roughly 165,000 residents. This project sought to deliver an evidence-based characterization of CBR within Baltimore City. Specifically, the researchers (a) characterized the periodicity and regulatory compliance of CBR train transit; (b) determined the temporal relation between CBR train traffic and volatile organic compound emissions at residential sites proximal to CBR corridors; and (c) developed lessons learned and best practices suitable for other U.S. communities affected by CBR. This affordable, efficient, and adaptable protocol to understand CBR patterns can supplement the efforts of Baltimore City activists and promote community health and self-determination across the United States.

• Record URL:
  http://www.carteeh.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/01-07-JHU-Assessing-Regulatory-Compliance-and-Community-Air-Pollution-Impacts-of-Crude-Oil-by-Rail-Transport-Smith.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/57541
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This research was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore

  Center for Advancing Research in Transportation Emissions, Energy, and Health
  615 North Wolfe Street
  Baltimore, MD  United States  21205

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Smith, Genee S
  • 0000-0002-5541-4388
  • Heaney, Christopher
  • 0000-0003-3211-8495
  • Ramachandran, Gurumurthy
  • 0000-0003-1382-5047
• Publication Date: 2021-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 20p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Best practices; Compliance; Crude oil; Environmental impacts; Freight trains; Lessons learned; Regulations; Residential areas
• Geographic Terms: Baltimore (Maryland)
• Subject Areas: Environment; Freight Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01780986
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 01-07-JHU
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747128
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 31 2021 12:44PM