Regulators Confirm Safety Following Train Incident in Yellowstone River
Preliminary testing of water and air quality along the Yellowstone River, where train cars carrying hazardous materials fell into the water after a bridge collapse, did not reveal any immediate threat to the public, according to state and federal officials. The mangled train cars, carrying hot asphalt and molten sulfur, remained in the river, but preliminary water sampling results showed no signs of petroleum hydrocarbons or sulfur.
Contractors working for Montana Rail Link are conducting water testing, while the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and the federal Environmental Protection Agency oversees the process. Air monitoring has also not detected any toxic gases. The cleanup efforts are ongoing, and the cause of the derailment is being investigated by the Federal Railroad Administration. The amount of cargo spilled into the river is still unknown, and crews are assessing the best way to remove the damaged train cars.
The union representing nearly 9,300 workers at Canada’s top two rail companies is signaling a potential work stoppage due to stalled negotiations over working conditions and wage hikes.