State emergency management officials released information on counties which see crude oil from North Dakota carried through them on rail cars. The oil from what’s called the Bakken fields of North Dakota is more flammable than other crude oil and railroad accidents prompted the U.S. Department of Transportation to order rail lines to let states know if there are rail cars coming through that haul one million or more gallons of Bakken crude.
The state released information from three rail lines. The Canadian Pacific reports hauling Bakken crude from the Minnesota border through Allamakee, Clayton, Dubuque, Jackson, and Clinton counties. The Burlington Northern carried the crude through Sioux, Plymouth, Lyon and Woodbury counties. The Union Pacific did not have trains carrying enough of the oil to report it to the state.
The railroads had not wanted the information released, but the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency management division concluded releasing the information publicly does not violate federal security requirements.