Louisiana Refuses to Disclose Oil Train Records

Louisiana officials are refusing to disclose the details of crude oil shipments railroads haul through the state.

The state Department of Public Safety and Corrections says the information freight railroads are required to provide to Louisiana is considered confidential.

Louisiana was responding to a records request from The Associated Press.

Federal officials say they don’t consider the information railroads provide to states sensitive information that must be withheld to protect the public.

This spring the Federal Railroad Administration ordered railroads to notify states about trains carrying at least 1 million gallons of crude oil.

Railroads are under pressure to improve safety after several fiery derailments involving crude oil, including one in a small Canadian city in eastern Quebec where 47 people died last July when 60 cars derailed and exploded.