Update: The American Red Cross shelter opened in The Dalles due to the oil train derailment and subsequent evacuations will remain open today and through the night to assist affected residents.
The Red Cross shelter is located at Dry Hollow Elementary School, 1314 E. 19th St. in The Dalles, OR.
PORTLAND, Ore. – An oil train passing through the Columbia River Gorge derailed Friday near Mosier, Oregon, shutting down Interstate 84 and sending massive plumes of dark smoke into the sky.
No one was injured in the crash but the local school was evacuated and air quality warnings were issued.
"Today's derailment of a train carrying Bakken crude oil in the Columbia River Gorge is yet another reminder of the risks and concerns of crude-by-rail transport in our region," said Washington Governor Jay Inslee.
This is the latest oil train derailment in North America, and legislators and environmental groups are concerned about the frequency and impact of the incidents.
In May 2015, an oil train crash caused several cars to burst into flames. In February, a train carrying 3 million gallons of crude oil derailed, leaking crude oil from 20 cars.
A train explosion in Quebec, Canada killed 47 people when 72 cars carrying crude oil derailed.
In 2015, the U.S. federal government passed legislation to make oil train passage safer, including upgrading cars.
The United States is producing more crude oil today than ever before and the Pacific Northwest has become a major terminal for refining and export.
That means the region is also susceptible to negative economic and environmental impacts from train crashes.
In Multnomah County, officials believe those regulations are not enough to protect safety of people and the environment. The county was one of the first in the country to officially oppose oil-by-train transport.
That sentiment is not pervasive across the metro region. The Port of Vancouver is considering an oil terminal, where Vancouver Energy has a lease and wants to build a terminal. It would be the largest in the country.
Proponents say it would boost the economy in the region.
The Columbia Riverkeeper, which opposes the terminal, says four trains similar to the one that crashed near Mosier would come through the Vancouver terminal every day.
Longview, Washington considered building an oil refinery in city limits. That project was shuttered due to a Texas-based developer missing deadlines to show financial backing.
Environmental groups also raised concerns about oil train derailments.
