Here at the JHU Department of Civil Engineering, we are pleased to have not only extremely knowledgeable faculty members, but ones that are passionate as well.
Recently, Assistant Professor Sauleh Siddiqui has provided written opposition as well as oral testimony against the expansion of crude oil terminals in Baltimore.
In a Letter to the Editor published in The Baltimore Sun, Siddiqui states, “The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration estimates that an oil train derailment in an “average” population density area would cost $1 billion. In a densely-populated area like Baltimore, PHMSA estimates the damage would be $5 billion for lives lost, property ruined, and cleanup.”
Siddiqui also testified at the Baltimore City Council meeting on February 21, 2018. To view his testimony, click here.
The City Council passed a bill on March 12th that will ban new or expanded crude oil terminals in the city. As of the publishing of this article, Mayor Catherine Pugh has yet to sign the bill.