Virtual Oil Pipeline

This page will contain information about the Virtual Oil Pipeline used to transport energy products into and out of Albany.It will contain Web links, articles and information about this subject.

• 1. Links

     1. Global Properties - the company involved with the shipping of oil through Albany, http://www.globalp.com/

     2. Letter from Center for Biological Diversity on the dangers of shipping Bakken crude by rail. This letter could serve as a useful model. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/public_lands/energy/dirty_energy_development/oil_and_gas/pdfs/Bakken_rail_letter.pdf.

  2. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) warning that oil from the Bakken region may be more flammable than traditional heavy crude oil:http://phmsa.dot.gov/staticfiles/PHMSA/DownloadableFiles/1_2_14%20Rail_Safety_Alert.pdf

  3. Preliminary NTSB report on the December 30, 2013 Casselton, ND derailment: http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/reports/2014/Casselton_ND_Preliminary.pdf

  4. You Tube Video entitled Crude by Rail - Albany NY's Oil by Train Risk

  5. Link to DEC and the Global Companies' application for expanding its oil storage facility: http://www.dec.ny.gov/enb/20140129_reg4.html#401010011200029

  6. Coast Guard Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund

  7. Articles

• • 1. Times Union Article by Brian Nearing on 12/17/13 about Global Properties plan to build a building to house four boilers at Port of Albany.

    2. Times Union Article by Brian Nearing on 12/18/13 about Global Properties plan to build another part of its virtual oil pipeline by Newburgh. This article discusses some of the dangers these oil shipments entail.

    3. Capital Pro article by Scott Waldman on 12/9/13 entitled Crude Awakening about the increasing amount of oil being shipped through Albany.This is a good article to read to get up to speed on the issue.

    4. Capital Pro article by Scott Waldman on 12/20/13 entitled A bid to open Albany up to tar sands oil about the Albany Planning Board hearing on 12/19/13. This is another good article and addressed the dangers this oil poses. It mentions that ports have both coasts have imposed moratoriums on the shipping of tars sands crude through its jurisdictions because an accident can be so devastating. http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/albany/2013/12/8537723/bid-open-albany-tar-sands-oil?top-featured-4.

    5. Toronto Star article on 12/14/13 about whether Bakken oil is safe enough to transport, http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/12/14/is_bakken_oil_safe_enough_for_the_gta.html#

    6. Maine Sunday Telegram editorial in favor of moratorium on shipping tar sands oil: http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/Our_View__S__Portland_moratorium_allows_city_time_to_craft_tar_sands_policy_.html?searchterm=tar+sands

    7. Maine Sunday Telegram article about oil industry threatening law suit in face of moratorium on shipping tar sands oil:http://www.pressherald.com/news/Oil_industry_threatens_lawsuit_over_S__Portland_tar_sands_moratorium_.html?searchterm=tar+sands

    8. LA Times article on 12/30/13 oil train accident in North Dakota: http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-north-dakota-train-20131230,0,6177728.story#axzz2oz0TVvzR

    9. New York Times article on 1/2/14 entitled, Concern Over Safety Grows as More Oil Rides the Rails, and Albany is a link in Global's virtual oil pipeline: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/03/us/concern-over-safety-grows-as-more-oil-rides-the-rails.html

    10. New York Times magazine article on 12/30/13 entitled, A Ghost Train Devastates a Family and a Town, about the horrific oil train accident in Quebec, The article one of many on prominent people who died in 2013. http://www.nytimes.com/news/the-lives-they-lived/2013/12/21/regulars-of-the-musi-cafe/

    11. Albany Times Union article on 1/3/14 concerning the safety of Bakken crude and where it is shipped through the Capital District: http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Warning-issued-for-crude-oil-5109728.php.

    12. CBS News Story from January 1/3/14 on dangers of shipping Bakken crude: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/train-derailment-sparks-warning-to-oil-industry/

    13. National Wildlife Post on Arkansas community reeling from tar sands oil spill:http://blog.nwf.org/2013/04/as-arkansas-community-reels-from-tar-sands-oil-spill-wildlife-remain-in-peril/

    14. Albany Times Union article on 1/7/14 about the dangers the proposed Global oil heating facility poses for Albany: http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Port-plan-to-heat-crude-oil-raises-concerns-5119289.php.

    15. December 22, 2012 article about an oil tanker running aground in the Hudson, which shows that accidents do happen: http://workingharbor.wordpress.com/2012/12/22/oil-tanker-runs-aground-on-hudson-river/

    16. Bloomberg BusinessWeek story of 1/9/14 about Crude-Derailment Rises as Trains Haul more oil: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-01-09/crude-derailment-risk-up-as-trains-haul-more-north-america-oil.

    17. Albany Times Union 1/14/14 editorial, entitled Come Clean on crude oil: http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion/come-clean-on-crude-oil/27234/

• 8. Capital Pro article by Scott Waldman on 1/15/14 entitled Riverkeeper launches campaign against oil-heating facility

  9. Albany Times Union article on 1/18/14 entitled Train accidents drive renewed focus on safety which discuss oil shipments to the Port of Albany

  10. Sierra Club article on Alberta Tars Sands oil coming to Albany and model letter to send to NYS DEC protesting this

  11. Albany Times Union article on 1/22/14 entitled State taking comment on Albany Port Oil Heating Project

  12. Capital Pro article by Scott Waldman on 1/21/14 entitled, An expanded proposal to process tar sands oil in Albany.

  13. Albany Time Union Blog Post posted on 1/124/14, entitled Too Close for Comfort? Albany Neighborhood Say Yes

  14. NY Times article from 1/24/14, entitled Pipeline Fight Lifts Environmental Movement

  15. NY Times article from 1/25/14, entitled Accidents Surge as Oil Industry Takes the Train

  16. Capital Pro article by Scott Waldman on 1/27/14 entitled Albany oil plan meets resistance.

  17. Albany Times Union article from 1/28/14 entitled Albany Oil Plan Meets Resistance

  18. Albany Times Union Capitol Confidential post on 1/29/14, entitled Cuomo orders state agencies to take a closer look at oil trains

  19. Albany Times Union article from 2/1/14, entitled State Urged to roll back oil shipments The letter that is referred to is shown below, it's the Earth Justice letter of 1/31/14.

  20. Bloomberg Business Week Article, entitled Trains That Go Boom

  21. Albany Times Union article from 2/23/14, entitled, Tentative advances toward safer oil trains.

  22. New York Times article from 2/28/14, entitled Bakken Crude,Rolling Through Albany

  23. Bloomberg Businessweek article entitled The Petro States of America

  24. NY Times Editorial from 4/1/14, entitled Albany's Perilous Oil Boom.

  25. NY Times article from 4/16/14 entitled Despite Spills,Hazards Ride the Rails in Secret.

  26. Albany Time Union special report from 7/20/14 on the dangers the oil trains pose to Albany with good graphics, entitled Amid the Oil Boom, Fear.