Washington Notebook: Oil industry meets DOT chief about tank car safety

   The petroleum and railroad industries met last week in Washington to discuss how to improve safety related to crude oil transport by train with Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
   The American Petroleum Institute said strong railcars that do not easily leak in a derailment are important, but the first priority is finding ways to prevent accidents.
  “API has led the way in improving the safety of rail tank cars by building since 2011 next generation tank cars that exceed federal standards. These new cars already make up nearly 25 percent of the crude oil tank car fleet and will be 60 percent by 2015. The oil and natural gas industry will continue to work with regulators and the rail industry to make shipment by rail even safer,” API President Jack Gerard said in a statement.
   “The domestic energy revolution has given Americans a unique opportunity to take control of our energy future. Families and workers across the country are benefiting from new jobs, greater revenue to the government, and our strengthening energy security.”
   The meeting was held in the wake of several recent accidents involving trains carrying crude oil.