Portsmouth Herald: Propane train plan spurs downtown safety concerns State Sen. Martha Fuller Clark and other local officials are concerned that a plan by Newington-based Sea-3 to haul more propane through the area by rail could create safety hazards, specifically where trains pass through downtown Portsmouth. PORTSMOUTH — State Sen. Martha Fuller Clark believes the proposed increase in the number of trains carrying rail cars filled with propane through the heart of the downtown poses a risk to development along the rail line. It seems to me that its a public safety issue for the new developments downtown along the rail, including HarborCorp, Fuller Clark said during an interview Tuesday. She believes the proximity of the rail lines to the proposed HarborCorp mixed-use development is problematic. Id be very concerned if I was investing that amount of money into a project and wanting to see condominiums that are 10 feet from the railway, she added. Her comments come as the Newington Planning Board continues to review an application for expansion by the Sea-3 propane terminal in Newington that would allow them to receive domestic propane by rail. If the expansion is approved, Sea-3 officials have said the number of trains carrying propane on Seacoast-area tracks would increase from three a week to seven a week, with each one carrying six to 12 propane tank cars per train. Thats a total of 42 to 84 propane cars a week, or 2,184 to 4,368 propane cars a year. Fuller Clark, D-Portsmouth, along with numerous other local officials, has raised concerns about the condition of the tracks owned by Pan Am Railways, on which the rail cars would be traveling if the expansion plan is approved. City Planning Director Rick Taintor confirmed Wednesday that the propane cars would run on the rails that would be located behind HarborCorp if the mixed-use development proposed for the intersection of Deer and Russell streets is approved. The site plan filed with the city last week includes a five-level garage with an underground level, a one-story Whole Foods Market, condominiums and a five-level hotel/conference room. HarborCorp officials said during a meeting of the citys Technical Advisory Committee on Tuesday that the back of the hotel would be about 17 feet from the railroad tracks and that they planned to put a retaining wall between the tracks and the hotel. Developer Chris Thompson, in a prepared statement responding to Fuller Clarks comments, said any safety concerns regarding Sea-3s expansion plans encompass a much larger picture than our proposed development. Thompson also stated, There are already dozens of buildings and residences in close proximity to the railroad tracks. Any safety issue should be, and I am sure will be, addressed by the city with the safety of all its citizens in mind. Mayor Robert Lister said Wednesday that it is a concern to have trains carrying propane going by any building at all. I think its worth a serious conversation to think about public safety, Lister said, noting he has concerns about the speed of the trains and the condition of the tracks. Pan Am Railways Executive Vice President Cynthia Scarano has previously committed to upgrading the railways tracks from Class 1 to Class 2 if the Sea-3 expansion is approved. The upgrade in class would allow the trains to travel at 25 mph. Scarano said Pan Am intended to keep the trains at 10 mph, but also said that might not always be the case. Scarano could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday. Lister said he wants to work in a partnership with Pan Am to make sure the rail lines are safe. Come to the table and address the issues that have come up, Lister said. Lets have a serious conversation that really emphasizes safety. City Councilor Eric Spear acknowledged Wednesday that any time you have hazardous cargo go through a downtown, its a concern. We need to make sure safety is our first and last priority with Sea-3, Spear said. He believes Pan Am officials need to do more to gain our trust, while noting they are refusing to release past inspection reports. During Mondays meeting of the Newington Planning Board, Scarano refused to release reports from bridge inspections the company has performed. Spear said he knows the states congressional delegation has been working to help address the issue; in February, U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter and U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte wrote a letter to the Federal Railroad Administration asking for an inspection of the Portsmouth and Newington industrial tracks owned by Pan Am. But then Spear added, Lets see if theres more than they can do.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 14:34:50 +0000
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