City worries over increased risk if Norfolk Southern boosts ethanol loading

In Virginia, Norfolk Southern wants to increase the number of railcars carrying ethanol it can unload at its transloading facility in Alexandria to 30 cars per day from the current 14, but city officials are concerned about increased risk for the community. The existing operation is exempt from air quality control regulations but boosting the loading capacity has triggered the need for an air permit from the state Dept. of Environmental Quality. The facility’s most recent spill was in February when 100 gallons of ethanol were spilled.