Sens. Sherrod Brown, J.D. Vance push bill to boost rail safety after Ohio train derailment
Haley BeMiller
Railroads would be subject to stricter rules when carrying hazardous materials and could face bigger fines for violations under legislation unveiled Wednesday by Ohio's U.S. senators.
U.S. Sens. Sherrod Brown and J.D. Vance are pushing a bipartisan bill that aims to prevent train derailments after one upended the lives of people in East Palestine. A Norfolk Southern train derailed in the village on Feb. 3 after a wheel bearing overheated, spilling toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil, according to preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board.
Residents had to evacuate as the company executed a controlled release of vinyl chloride to prevent an explosion. Now, people are back home and worried about long-term health consequences, even as officials say the air and municipal water are safe.
Ohio train derailment:'It's all a bunch of whodunit': East Palestine residents caught in political fight
The proposal comes after Gov. Mike DeWine asked Congress to examine how trains are classified when they transport dangerous chemicals through states. The Norfolk Southern train was not considered a high-hazard flammable train, meaning the company did not need to notify state regulators about its passage.
The bill would:
- Require trains carrying hazardous materials to give advance notice to states, even if they aren't high-hazardous flammable trains.
- Require trains with these materials on board to be scanned by hot bearing detectors every 10 miles.
- Update inspection rules and ensure they're conducted by qualified rail car inspectors.
- Require two-person crews.
- Increase the maximum fine for railroads that break the rules to 1% of their annual operating income, instead of $225,000.
- Increases HAZMAT registration fees paid by railroads to fund grants for emergency response training.
Ohio Senate committee to hold derailment hearing
State lawmakers, meanwhile, are debating how they can respond to the derailment.
A special Ohio Senate committee will hold its first hearing Wednesday and hear testimony from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Public Safety.
Railroads are largely regulated by federal law, so the state is limited in what it can accomplish. But Senate President Matt Huffman previously said the committee could look at issues such as tort law, which deals with civil suits and the relief someone can seek for being wronged.
Huffman also said lawmakers may add one-time money to the upcoming state budget to help people in and around East Palestine.
This story will be updated.
Haley BeMiller is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.