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Environmental advocates react to oil spill fund proposal

Credit npr.org

The Cuomo Administration has proposed increasing New York's oil spill fund to 40-million dollars.

On Monday,  a train carrying crude oil derailed in West Virginia, and there has been a spike in U. S. shipments of oil by rail in recent years from the Midwest and Canada.

Environmental Advocates of New York supports the idea of increasing the fund from $25 million to $40 million.

But Air and Energy Director Conor Bambrick, says they don't support shifting control of the fund the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Bambrick says his group feels the fund has worked extremely well under the state comptroller's office.

His group says while the Cuomo administration has been taking steps, they can do more, with resources provided to communities, particularly first responders, should an incident occur.

They also feel that carriers, and companies that are bringing this oil into the state, should be required to demonstrate they are insured to be able to cover any potential damages that may rise out of an accident.

He says it's not clear we have those assurances right now.

Bambrick adds his group supports proposals that would create new safety standards for trains and the cars that are carrying the oil through the state. 

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