11.14.14

Hoeven Statement on Yesterday's Derailment Near Casselton, ND

“This morning, I contacted Cass County Sheriff Paul Laney to get the details on the derailment that occurred last night near Casselton. My office followed up by contacting officials at BNSF and I spoke directly to Executive Chairman Matt Rose. I emphasized to him that BNSF needs to review the Casselton segment of the rail and determine what action needs to be taken to prevent further accidents in the future.

“He agreed, and said BNSF will analyze the rail conditions in this location and determine what needs to be done to prevent such accidents from occurring in the future.

“As North Dakota grows, we continue to make safety for our communities a priority. That is why in the course of our past discussions with BNSF, we have pressed the company to limit speeds where appropriate and make the necessary capital investments to upgrade safety and efficiency.

“Further, accidents like this underscore the need for more pipelines like the Keystone XL. That’s why I authored legislation which the House will vote on today and the Senate will vote on Tuesday to approve it. We need pipelines, railroads and roads to transport goods safely and efficiently in North Dakota and the country.”