The Senate Commerce Committee has advanced the Railway Safety and Disaster Prevention Act, a bill aimed at enhancing railway safety and disaster prevention procedures. This comes as a response to the Norfolk Southern rail derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, this year, which led much of the village to be evacuated when toxic chemicals were released into the environment. No one was injured, but residents have since complained of various ailments after the incident. The proposed bill incorporates several safety measures, including the enhancement of safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, expansion of hazardous materials being transported by trains, mandated creation of disaster plans by railroads, and telling emergency response commissions about hazardous materials. Notably, the bill also establishes requirements for wayside detectors every 15 miles, calls for more “hot-box” detectors, and mandates at least two-member crews to increase safety.
The proposed Railway Safety Act has been endorsed by President Biden and was co-sponsored by both Ohio senators, Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican J.D. Vance, both of whom support the proposed bill as a response to the train derailment in East Palestine. Since the derailment, Norfolk Southern accepted it would create a fund for residents near the derailment site to cover a decline in home values since the incident. However, Republicans have voiced their opposition to the proposed bill and argue that it would give the Biden administration too much power to restrict rail shipments of fossil fuels, including coal and oil, “that the radical green movement hates.” Their opposition has not stopped the bill from being modified and advancing through the Senate Commerce Committee, with 16 members voting for it and 11 voting against it.
Despite gaining some support from six Republican Senators, the bill is likely to meet opposition from more Republican representatives, including the Committee’s top leader, Ted Cruz of Texas. He asserts that the legislation would raise costs for the rail industry and that this would lead to more freight being transported by the trucking industry, which has a higher rate of accidents involving hazardous materials. While the Railway Safety and Disaster Prevention Act has not yet become law, it marks an essential step in enhancing railway safety and disaster prevention in the United States.
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