Answer :
An advantage of rail transport of fossil fuel over pipelines is that pipelines tend to go through more populated areas. The correct option is A.
Pipelines, due to their fixed routes, often pass through densely populated areas where the risk of environmental damage and harm to communities is higher in case of accidents or spills. In contrast, rail transport offers more flexibility in route selection, allowing operators to avoid densely populated regions and potentially reducing the risk to communities along the transportation route.
Furthermore, the limited amount of material carried by trains compared to pipelines means that in the event of a spill or accident, the scale of the damage is typically smaller. While both rail and pipeline transportation carry inherent risks, the smaller volume of material transported by trains decreases the potential impact on the environment and nearby communities, making rail transport a comparatively safer option in certain scenarios. The correct option is A.