Governor Quashes Ethanol Trains; Petruccelli Motion the Difference

Revere residents have Governor Deval Patrick and Senator Anthony Petruccelli to thank for putting the kibosh on ethanol delivery through this city by rail once a week.

The plan to use trains to transport 1.7 billion gallons of the highly flammable fuel through Revere to a depot here met its end last week when Governor Patrick signed into law a bill carrying a Senator Anthony Petruccelli sponsored anti-ethanol transportation amendment.

The bill signed by the governor delays the plan from being implemented.

Instead of transporting ethanol, the transport of ethanol and its effect on the environment and the safety impact on homes, schools, day care centers and other facilities along the planned route will be studied.

The ethanol was to have been transported on 60 car long freight trains twice weekly through two dozen communities including Revere, East Boston, Chelsea and Everett.

Global Partners, the oil firm behind the proposal to transport 1.7 million gallons twice weekly has been asked to reconsider railroad transport and to consider instead barge transport.

Mayor Dan Rizzo and Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash applauded the governor’s action and Senator Petruccelli’s amendment.

“This is a big step in the right direction,” said Mayor Rizzo, an opponent of ethanol transport through Revere.

In this instance Governor Patrick has shown he cares about safety and about the people of Revere.

Thank you, Governor Patrick.

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