Nearly a year ago, officials in Skagit County, Washington state, decided that Shell Oil's proposed 70K-b/d rail terminal would not need to undergo a full environmental review. After several environmental groups appealed that decision—-and perhaps more significandy, a two high-profile crude-by-rail accidents raised questions about the safety of newer, high-strength tanker cars—a Skagit County Office of Land Use Hearings examiner has ruled that the full environmental review will have to be conducted after all. "Catastrophes have occurred elsewhere," said examiner Wick Dufford. "Unquestionably, the potential magnitude and duration of environmental and human harm from oil train operations in Northwest Washington could be very great."
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