Despite concerns from a former Genesee Valley Transportation Company employee about future propane trans-loading at South Niagara Street, a railroad executive said the site has already handled hazardous materials and propane.
Community concerns about the company building a propane handling facility at its west side railroad site prompted Mayor John Lombardi III to issue a press release Wednesday declaring no plans were underway.
Paul Beakman, former 1st Ward alderman and former Genesee Valley Transporation Co. chief of police, said he was told by a company employee that the railyard was being cleaned up in preparation to unload propane cars on the track on the east side of the engine house. He said the employee stated that the railroad was planning to receive three or four tankers of liquid propane each day to unload into trucks.
“This is unheard of,” Beakman said. “This is done in the country, where a blast would be mitigated. This doesn’t have to be in the city.”
However, Matt Wasilewski, vice president of sales and business development for Genesee Valley Transportation Company, said in a written response, “We have handled propane rail traffic on every one of our railroads in New York and Pennsylvania during their many safe years of operation. Our Lockport railyard has had the ability to and does handle hazardous materials for its customers since its inception.”
In an interview, Lombardi said that he has asked for information from the city’s fire and police departments as well as county emergency services concerning potential hazards of propane at the railyard.
Lombardi said community concern was so prevalent that he issued the press release.
“I was working on this last week, but I put the press release out because it was already out there,” he said. “I’m waiting for more answers. It’s a very vital concern if you’re bringing in propane to a yard that already has chlorine tanks,” he said of the railroad’s west side location.
When asked if Genesee Valley Transportation Company had a hazardous materials permit, Lombardi replied, “I believe they would because I’ve seen chlorine tankers there.”
Jonathan Schultz, director of Niagara County Emergency Services, said he couldn’t comment on hazards associated with materials at Genesee Valley Transportation’s rail yard in Lockport because no plans have been submitted by the company.
“I talked to the mayor the other day, but I hadn’t gotten anything,” Shultz said. “Once I know more, I’ll gladly comment on it.”
Mark Devine, 3rd Ward Alderman, did not answer calls for comment on concerns in his ward about the rail yard, and he does not have voice mail.
Wasilewski said, “There is no need to expand our Lockport yard to specifically handle propane railcars or any other railcars of product/material. We do not currently interchange any propane traffic for existing customers. Our yard and track improvements in Lockport are not related to any specific business — it is to increase track space capacity, efficiency, safety and our ability to attract new business from existing and potential customers.”
Marcy Livergood, who has lived on the 70th block of South Niagara Street for the past 60 years, said she was so concerned about possible propane transfers at the railyard across from her home that she contacted Congressman Claudia Tenney and state Sen. Rob Ortt.
“I haven’t seen any tankers come in, but I’ve seen they’re cleaning things up,” Livergood said. “I guess if you see tankers come in, it’s already too late.”
Wasilewski said that a railroad hazardous materials permit to regulate the ability and qualification to handle hazardous materials does not exist.
“Railroads are regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) with regards to physical operations and procedures, including hazardous material railcar handling, safety, training, track conditions, inspections, etc. The Surface Transportation Board (STB) regulates our transportation industry including common carrier authority, interchange requirements, requirements for the services we must provide as a common carrier railroad, including dictating that we accept and handle hazardous material.”