"NTSB Investigating Derailment, Oil Spill in Lynchburg"

"The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation of a freight train derailment in Lynchburg that destroyed three oil tanker cars, lifted a plume of black smoke into the sky and spilled thousands of gallons of crude oil into the James River.

No one was killed or injured when more than a dozen CSX tanker cars derailed on Wednesday afternoon, but the resulting fire and spill prompted City Manager Kimball Payne to declare an emergency and temporarily evacuate part of downtown.

The spill also prompted Richmond utility officials to prepare to possibly switch to an alternative source for the city’s drinking water supply, which depends primarily on the James. With the river at flood stage, that isn’t likely, said city officials, who plan to use booms to capture any oil nearing the treatment plant."

Michael Martz and Rex Springston report for the Richmond Times-Dispatch May 1, 2014.

SEE ALSO:

"Federal Pipeline and Oil-by-Rail Regulator Making 9% Staff Cut, Confounding Experts" (InsideClimate News)

"As New Shipping Rules Are Studied, Another Oil Train Derails" (New York Times)

"CSX Oil Train Derails in Virginia, Leaks Into River" (Reuters)

"Oil Train Derails, Burns in Lynchburg" (Politico)

Utah: "Tanker Spills, Pipelines Raise Questions About Crude Oil Transport" (Deseret News)

"Va. Oil Train Derailment Is Latest "Wake-Up Call": Expert" (CBS/AP)