The American Petroleum Institute (API) says it is suing to stop a number of provisions in a suite of oil-train transportation rules issued by the Obama administration.

The United States and Canada announced on May 1 safety rules for trains carrying oil, whereby older tank cars considered unsafe due to derailments would be phased out by 2020. Source: WikipediaThe United States and Canada announced on May 1 safety rules for trains carrying oil, whereby older tank cars considered unsafe due to derailments would be phased out by 2020.

The petition filed on May 11 seeks to bar a rule requiring older tank cars to be fitted with new safety features, proposing that such cars be fitted with new electronic braking systems or face-operating limits.

The rail and energy sectors have expressed concern that the required speed of the phase-outs is not feasible and that the potentially billions of dollars in costs may be too high for the safety improvements they deliver.

The API’s lawsuit aims to secure longer timelines to retrofit old tank cars, overturn the mandates for enhanced braking systems and loosen the operational restrictions on certain trains.