President Obama: Stand up to Big Oil and stop exploding oil trains!

Hi there—Next week, our friends at ForestEthics will be delivering this petition to President Obama. After accidents in North Dakota, Virginia, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Washington, Maine, Vermont, New York, and Lac-Mégantic, Ontario—the last of which involved a train owned by a U.S.-based railroad company and claimed the lives of 47 people—it's now clearer than ever that it is time for the Department of Transportation and President Obama to draft new safety regulations. Add your name to their petition before it is delivered next week.—Maria

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Dear New York MoveOn member,

I'm Ashley Allison of the organization ForestEthics, and I started a petition to Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and President Barack Obama, which says:

Over the last several years, the oil and rail industries have brought the growing threat of hazardous, flammable oil trains into the Main Streets and downtowns of millions of North Americans.

The Department of Transportation's new draft safety rules on the rail transport of extremely volatile and flammable crude oil must be strong and enforceable, and protect all people—not Big Oil's profits.

The streets were a "river of fire" and "the whole sky was burning."^1, That's how citizens of Lac-Mégantic, Canada described the scene after an oil. train derailed and exploded in their downtown last summer. 47 people died that night.² 

The Obama Administration is accepting public comments until September 30 on its new proposed oil train regulations. These new rules are not nearly strong enough and actually protect Big Oil's profits, while sacrificing the safety of threatened communities and the environment. After a record year of oil trains exploding, derailing, and spilling, it's time to stand up to Big Oil before the next disaster strikes. 

Click here to add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.

Thanks!

–Ashley Allison

Sources:

1. "Last moments of Lac-Mégantic: Survivors share their stories," The Globe and Mail, August 19, 2014 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=300969&id=102065-10220574-JCdkUbx&t=4

2. "'The Whole Sky Was Burning': A Lac-Mégantic Resident Recalls the Tragedy," Time, July 12, 2013 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=300970&id=102065-10220574-JCdkUbx&t=5

2. "Last Lac-Mégantic Victims May Be ID'd By Special DNA Testing," The Huffington Post, October 06, 2013 
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=300971&id=102065-10220574-JCdkUbx&t=6

This petition was created on MoveOn's online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. ForestEthics didn't pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

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