Oil Train Transparency and the 'Threat' of Terrorism

• In Event: The Arc of Terrorism: Organizational Reach, Lifespan, and International Data

Abstract

On April 30, 2014, a train hauling almost three million gallons of Bakken crude oil derailed in the downtown area of Lynchburg, Virginia resulting in an explosion, fire, evacuation and oil spill into the James River. This event is by no means isolated; North America has experienced a couple dozen similar events over the past four years which have brought human death, injury, and disruption along with environmental degradation. Many communities that have oil trains regularly passing through are unaware about the nature of these shipments or, in some communities, that oil trains are even present. Despite requests from community organizations and even government mandates, railroad corporations and trade groups have resisted making information publicly available on the grounds that the information is proprietary and that releasing the information is a threat to public safety due to terrorism. Using a case study approach relying primarily on interviews, this research examines these clams through perceptions of individuals of Lynchburg who experienced a significant oil train derailment.

Author

• Travis Milburn, Tennessee Tech University