March 3, 2023
(press release)
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Strong first steps from rail industry and Congress must be backed up with continued action to ensure safer communities and safer working conditions in the long-term WASHINGTON, DC – As local, state, and federal environmental agencies continue to address air, water and soil quality concerns on the ground in East Palestine, Ohio, the U.S. Department of Transportation is marking significant early progress on its efforts to hold the rail industry accountable and to work with Congress on key rail safety reforms that will improve safety for communities and rail workers in the long-term. Last month, Secretary Buttigieg put Norfolk Southern on notice for needed safety reforms and called for an end to the rail industry’s “vigorous resistance” to increased safety measures, which in the past has included lobbying and litigation to kill commonsense rail safety reforms. Then, 10 days ago, with the newfound, bipartisan interest in rail safety reform in the aftermath of the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Secretary Buttigieg laid out a three-part drive to spur action in the rail industry and Congress, and to further enhance work already underway at USDOT. As Secretary Buttigieg told KDKA in Pittsburgh: “This is a moment when we can get more done than would’ve been thought possible before in terms of having the highest standards of accountability and safety for the sake of communities, and of course for workers.” Over the past few weeks, this progress includes: Background: Investigators from DOT’s FRA and PHMSA were on the ground within hours of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3, 2023. The agencies are supporting the investigation being led by the National Transportation Safety Board, an independent agency. For more on the federal response and jurisdiction, see here. To get the latest information on the investigation, please visit NTSB’s website. ###
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