Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
05.09.23
Cantwell-Led Bipartisan Railway Safety Bill Heads to Commerce Committee Vote
Legislation will improve freight rail safety, prevent future train derailment disasters like East Palestine; In Washington state, 44 million tons of hazardous material move by rail each year
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said that the Committee will vote Wednesday, May 10, on bipartisan railway safety legislation.
The Railway Safety Act builds upon legislation introduced by Ohio and Pennsylvania Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA), along with Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Josh Hawley (R-MO) following the devastating train derailment in East Palestine, OH.
“In the past decade, derailments in the State of Washington nearly doubled causing trains to catch fire, spill diesel fuel on sensitive ecological areas, and evacuating people from their homes,” Sen. Cantwell said. “No one should lose sleep at night worrying that the railroads are cutting corners on safety. This week the Commerce Committee will vote on bipartisan legislation that mandates the use of technology that can identify equipment failures, prevents 30 second railcar inspections, and ensures trains carrying explosive material like the East Palestine train comply with stronger safety regulations. The bill also supports emergency preparedness by providing funding to local first responders to purchase equipment and requires railroads to tell states what materials trains are carrying through their communities. I hope my colleagues join me in passing this legislation to hold the railroads to account and raise the bar on safety.”
The legislation includes key provisions championed by Sen. Cantwell to support firefighters who bravely respond to disasters like the East Palestine derailment. It also reforms the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) programs to ensure fire departments can purchase personal protective gear and creates a new program to make fire departments whole after responding to a derailment.
In the State of Washington, 44 million tons of hazardous materials move to destinations in the state each year by rail. This includes four million gallons of crude oil, which are transported by train through the state each day. Many oil trains travel through cities, including Seattle, Pasco, and Bellingham. Over 75% of fire departments in the State of Washington are volunteer or mostly volunteer-run. Only 14% of fire departments in the state have a specialized hazardous materials team that could best respond to hazmat spills.
Sen. Cantwell has a history of past work to enhance safety regulations for railways. On February 17, Sen. Cantwell announced an investigation into railroads’ handling of hazardous materials, sending letters to seven top railroad CEOs seeking information about their safety practices. On March 22, Sen. Cantwell grilled Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw about the rail industry’s commitment to safety during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
“This hearing is not only about the East Palestine derailment,” Sen. Cantwell said in the March hearing. “Less than a week ago, a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train derailed in my home state of Washington, on the Swinomish Reservation in Skagit County, spilling [3,100] gallons of diesel near the Padilla Bay waterfront, a sensitive aquatic ecosystem. These are important issues for all of America.”
A list of eight key provisions included in the legislation to enhance railway safety can be viewed HERE.
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