Save Our Communities from Risky Trains Act of 2017 

This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue regulations to require enhanced security measures for shipments of security sensitive material.

DOT shall designate a material, or a group or class of material, as security sensitive if it determines that transporting such material in commerce poses a significant risk to national security due to its potential use in an act of terrorism.

Each railroad carrier transporting security sensitive material shall:

• compile material route and storage pattern information, and
• submit to DOT a written rail transportation route and storage pattern security risk analysis and an alternative route and storage pattern analysis.

Railroad carriers shall use the route and storage pattern that, based on the analyses, best reduces the risk, including consequences, of a terrorist attack on, or derailment of, a shipment of security sensitive material transported through or near an area of concern (i.e., urban areas).

Each railroad carrier shall review once every five years any changes affecting the security movements of such material.