CHICAGO - Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 14 attorneys general, opposed Gas Innovations LNG Refrigerants Inc.’s request for a special permit to ship cryogenic liquefied ethane in rail tank cars from a facility in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania to undisclosed locations in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Ethane is a colorless, odorless, and highly flammable hydrocarbon gas that is commonly used in the petrochemical industry. Shipping cryogenic ethane presents significant safety challenges, as any release of cargo is likely to lead to the formation of extremely cold and highly flammable ground-hugging vapor clouds that present unique safety risks to nearby communities and emergency first responders. Regulations do not currently authorize the transportation of ethane in rail tank cars, and Gas Innovations’ application includes no data or scientific analysis suggesting that it can be transported safely in this manner. “Illinois is one of our
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