Pennsylvania SOTU guest ‘a little disappointed’ by lack of progress on rail safety

Local Pennsylvania officials who were invited to President Biden’s State of the Union address Thursday night as a guest of Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.) spoke on the one-year anniversary of the train derailment in the state. said he was “a little disappointed” by the lack of progress on the railway safety law. East Palestine, Ohio.

Mike Carreon (R), chairman of the Darlington Township, Pennsylvania, Board of Supervisors, said in an interview with The Hill on Thursday that since the crash across the Ohio state line in February 2023, “we’ve taken steps to prevent accidents. Nothing has changed.” So that it doesn’t happen in the future.

“We don’t know what the future holds, but there are legitimate concerns about long-term health care. We don’t know what exposure to these chemicals will do. People are exposed to different levels for different lengths of time. ” he said. “So not everyone’s story is going to be the same, but it definitely impacted individuals.”

The derailment of a train operated by Norfolk Southern Railway released several cars containing hazardous chemicals, including vinyl chloride, a toxic compound used to make plastics. No one was killed or injured in the incident, but residents have expressed concern about possible long-term health problems that may not be immediately apparent.

Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown (D) and J.D. Vance (R) introduced the Railroad Safety Act in response to the accident. It tightens rules for vehicles carrying hazardous materials and requires vehicles to carry at least two crew members. Despite support from Biden and former President Donald Trump, the top Republican candidate, the Senate has yet to vote on it.

“I think people understand that we have to move commerce, we have to do it safely, and we need stricter regulations on railroads,” Delzio said. told The Hill. He pointed to testimony Wednesday from National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy that Norfolk Southern authorities’ controlled incineration of chemicals spilled in eastern Palestine was unnecessary.

“I think [that] Now on to the exact problem. These railroads cannot be trusted to self-regulate. They are seeking profit at the expense of our safety,” he said. “And what we’re saying in a very reasonable way is, you know, there are some things that can be done to make railroads safer.”

After all, rail safety reform is an issue that knows no political boundaries, so there’s plenty of room to find common ground, Carreon said.

“The railroad runs through Republican and Democratic cities and towns across the country,” he said.

Contributed by Rachel Fragin.