Akron Reporter

WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Representative Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13) issued a statement following the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) investigative hearing on the East Palestine derailment and subsequent hazardous material release and fire:

“I am grateful to the NTSB for their extensive efforts to investigate the tragic derailment in East Palestine. This comprehensive safety investigation will inform policies to prevent future train derailments and protect the safety of our communities,” said Rep. Sykes. “Though the NTSB safety investigation is ongoing, Congress can act now to ensure hazardous materials are transported safely, increase support for our hazard communications and emergency responders, and hold Norfolk Southern accountable for the significant damage they inflicted on our communities. I continue to call for the passage of my bipartisan RAIL Act, which would improve rail safety and ensure no American has to worry about the threat of a toxic derailment in their backyard.”

Panels throughout the NTSB hearing focused on:

• Hazard Communications and Emergency Responder Preparedness for the Initial Emergency Response
• Circumstances that Led to the Decision to Vent and Burn Five Vinyl Chloride Tank Cars
• Freight Car Bearing Failure Modes and Wayside Detection Systems
• Tank Car Derailment Damage, Crashworthiness, and Hazardous Materials Package Information

Following the East Palestine derailment in February, Rep. Sykes introduced the RAIL Act, bipartisan legislation to improve railway safety and protect communities across the nation.  The RAIL Act responds to many of the issues discussed in the NTSB’s investigative hearing by: 

• Directing the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate new rules to improve safety based off the findings of the NTSB investigation in conjunction with the Federal Railroad Administration;
• Increasing inspections on all trains, including those carrying hazardous materials;
• Requiring railroad corporations to provide notification in advance to pertinent to State emergency response commissioners, tribal emergency response commission, or any other State or tribal agency regarding the transportation of hazardous materials;
• Strengthening requirements pertaining to safety placards that would have assisted emergency responders in identifying the hazardous materials in the rail cars on-site;
• Strengthening regulations to prevent wheel bearing failures, which caused the East Palestine train derailment;
• Increasing maximum penalties for violations of rail safety regulations;
• Increasing funding for Hazardous Materials Training for First Responders; and
• Auditing federal rail inspection programs.

Original source can be found here.