Six months after a Union Pacific train hauling Bakken crude oil derailed in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, state agencies in Washington and Oregon, residents of the tiny town of Mosier, Ore., and others affected by the fiery crash are in the midst of tabulating a bill to send to the railroad.
Painting a comprehensive picture of the economic and environment toll of the derailment is a daunting task, in part because Union Pacific is not required to disclose costs associated with its cleanup efforts or even how much its insurance policy will cover. So far, an email obtained by The Columbian revealed that Union Pacific has estimated its costs associated with the Mosier derailment at about $8.9 million.