BNSF holds spill training on Middle Fork

BNSF Railway recently completed a spill response drill on the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. Spokesman Matt Jones said railroad crews and a contractor trained by running a containment boom across the river at the Belton Bridge on July 18.

Jones said the drill went well and BNSF plans to conduct similar drills in the future. Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest personnel were on hand, but not other local emergency responders.

The possibility of a spill now that more oil train traffic is using the tracks along the river has gathered local and media attention over the past year, particularly in light of several high-profile incidents with oil trains exploding in the U.S. and Canada.

The high-water mark of the Middle Fork, a National Wild and Scenic River, makes up much of Glacier Park’s southern boundary. Park officials have previously aired their concerns about an oil spill in the river and the impacts it could have on the Park.

Whitefish city officials said they would have liked to participate in the drill and were disappointed they weren’t invited. BNSF’s rail line runs through downtown Whitefish and along Whitefish Lake.

“Whitefish remains concerned about the transport of oil and other hazardous materials through our community,” Whitefish mayor John Muhlfeld said in an e-mail to the Hungry Horse News. “We specifically addressed those concerns at a public meeting with BNSF officials this past month. The fact that our emergency services personnel were not extended an invite to participate in the test deployment is a bit disappointing. We hope BNSF will communicate more closely with Whitefish in the future when emergency response procedures are tested in the field. We have a good working relationship with BNSF. They have been great to our community. We will continue to work cooperatively with BNSF to address the concerns of Whitefish citizens.”

Jones said BNSF has spill containment equipment stored in Whitefish as well as other key locations in the Middle Fork corridor.