![]() ![]() ![]() The industry contends that it remains the safest way to transport hazardous materials over land. More than three quarters of them happen at slow speeds in railyards and don’t cause significant damage. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat who is a lead sponsor, said earlier this month that they are still trying to line up support and predicted “pressure by the rail lobby and, frankly, from some Republican leaders to weaken or kill the bill.”Įven though government data shows that derailments have declined in recent years, there were still 1,049 of them last year - roughly three a day. The Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine spurred legislation in Congress that advanced out of committee in the Democratic-controlled Senate, but its future in that chamber - not to mention the Republican-controlled House - is uncertain amid industry opposition. ![]() Plus, they said “the federal government’s approach to rail safety has historically been more reactionary than proactive.” Two rail union officials - Jason Doering and Matt Parker - who have both lobbied for legislation in Nevada for years said it’s important for states to act because they’re not optimistic that Congress will pass meaningful reforms over the strong lobbying of the railroads in a polarized political climate. Then in 2018, then-President Donald Trump’s administration dropped a proposed rule that would have required trains hauling highly flammable liquids like crude oil to be fitted with advanced braking systems. ![]() Prior experiences haven’t exactly inspired confidence that the federal government will act quickly.įor instance, a 2008 law requiring the deployment of positive train control systems - equipment designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, over-speed derailments and other accidents - wasn’t fully implemented until almost 2021. Railroads, however, argue that federal law broadly gives federal agencies exclusive jurisdiction to regulate rail transportation and that state laws ostensibly aimed at rail safety often do not actually improve safety. States maintain that Congress long ago gave them the authority to regulate aspects of rail safety that federal regulations don’t cover and that courts require federal law to be clear about when that responsibility rests exclusively with a federal agency. Or for federal laws that will never ever see the light of day.” “We can’t wait for federal regulations, which always seem to be in the works, but never quite get done. “It’s now time for this state to act,” Matzie told colleagues during floor arguments. He said he is sick of hearing that the East Palestine derailment is an isolated incident, that the rail companies are making improvements or that the federal government will order safety improvements. Rob Matzie, a Democrat whose western Pennsylvania district is home to a major rail freight handling hub, said he is satisfied with the state’s legal standing. The evacuation from the fiery crash extended into Pennsylvania, where the state House of Representatives approved a wide-ranging safety bill in early June. Ohio moved quickly, with the Republican-controlled government enacting a new law within two months of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine. ![]()
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