Report Shows Pipelines Helping Reduce Bakken Oil Train Traffic

As the Iowa Utilities Board continues its review of the merits of the Dakota Access Pipeline, a new in-depth look at the state of crude by rail (CBR) shipments has been published by E&E News. The conclusion undeniably shows that pipelines are, in fact, providing a viable alternative to shipping crude oil on our nation’s railroads.

These findings reflect the assertions made by proponents of the Dakota Access Pipeline. With Iowa being crisscrossed by as many as 30 oil trains a week at the height of the Bakken energy boom, the Dakota Access project would provide a safer and less energy intensive solution to ensuring that American energy reach consumers. While opponents have argued to the contrary, it has become abundantly clear that the facts point towards pipelines contributing to decreased oil train traffic.

It was only this past November that pipelines eclipsed rail volumes in North Dakota for the first time since 2012, in part because it simply makes more sense to ship energy through pipelines. “That’s just how the economics work. If you can get on a pipeline, you would want to,” the article quotes one energy expert as saying.

As the Iowa Utilities Board Members take a look at the Dakota Access Pipeline application over the next few days, we encourage them to study the project’s potential to helping reduce rail traffic in the state. With Iowa’s farmers depending on rail to get their products to market, it is vital that energy shipments be given a safe, reliable, and superior alternative.

Read the whole report here.