§1169 Railroad Tank Car Security Testing

Summary

The Secretary must study how terrorists might attack railroad tank cars that carry toxic-inhalation-hazard materials, test how those cars would hold up, and tell Congress the results within 30 days after the study is done. The study must look at likely attack methods (like explosives on tracks or cars and weapons such as missiles, rockets, mortars, or grenades), run physical tests to check the tank car’s structure, and use technical criteria to judge how successful an attack could be at causing death, injury, or serious harm to people, the environment, infrastructure, security, the economy, or public welfare. Using the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center, the Secretary must also run air dispersion models for releases from a loaded tank car in cities and rural areas and report those findings to Congress within 30 days after the modeling is finished. The modeling must consider likely attack methods, time of day, population size and density, real weather data, whether the car is moving or stopped, and local emergency response. The Secretary must consult with transportation officials, hazmat experts, rail companies, labor groups, state, local, and tribal officials, and other federal agencies, and share the results with the right stakeholders while protecting sensitive information.