Montana to create rail safety plan after critical audit

HELENA, Mont. – Montana’s Public Service Commission is giving its staff six months to complete a rail safety risk assessment and plan after a report criticized the agency for not having one.

Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to complete the report by November, which would give them time to request money from the 2017 Legislature for more inspectors, if necessary.

Last fall’s report from the Legislative Audit Division faulted the PSC for not identifying rail safety risks, not having a plan, not having enough inspectors to adequately cover the state and not participating in regional safety issues.

The report said the only rail safety goal the PSC seemed to have was meeting a minimum number of track inspections each year.

The PSC partners with the Federal Railroad Administration in overseeing rail lines in Montana.