Train derailment and chemical spill in Ohio

Lawmakers Propose Legislation to Tighten Rail Safety Regulations

WASHINGTON — Two House Democrats plan on Tuesday to introduce a bill to tighten federal regulation of trains carrying hazardous materials, the first legislative proposal to emerge in Congress since the derailment of a freight train carrying toxic substances that has devastated a small community in Ohio.

Representatives Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, whose district lies along the Ohio-Pennsylvania border near where the derailment occurred, and Ro Khanna of California are sponsoring the legislation, which would broaden the definition of what is considered a “high-hazard flammable train,” subject to stricter federal safety regulations. The train that derailed this month was exempt from such requirements because it was carrying less hazardous material than the threshold set by the Transportation Department.

 

Deluzio is my Congressman now, I guess. I voted for him, but don't know much about him beyond the basic bio stuff.

 

Gosh, I wonder why . . .

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...ttigieg-east-palestine-ohio-train-derailment/

Republicans are seizing on the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, to ramp up their attacks against Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, saying he is promoting his own agenda at the expense of families who are grappling with a toxic chemical accident in their backyard.

The Transportation Department does not have primary responsibility for the cleanup, and Buttigieg and his supporters are firing back, suggesting the GOP has other motives for its focus on him. The secretary, who sought the presidency in 2020, has taken the unusual step of responding directly to some of his critics, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), former president Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

The result is an unusually personal and, on occasion, vitriolic back-and-forth involving a transportation secretary who is also a rising star in his party, potential candidate for higher office and prominent gay official — far from the usual technocratic and logistical debates that surround the Transportation Department.

 

Gay, outspoken and a potential political threat. Pete hit the trifecta.

 

Bi-partisan rail bill being drawn up. Could be the end of the post-dereg party for RRs as far as hazmat is concerned. I'll wait for RR lobby to weigh in.

 

People have to die at a crossing to get lights and gates. Towns have to be salted and poisoned to get regulatory protection.

 

People: East Palestine was a disaster!

GOP: Blame Pete! Blame Biden! We want answers!

Dems: how about we look at some regulations of the freight industry.

GOP: No, not like that.

GOP urges no ‘burdensome regulations’ on freight rail, after derailment

 

TOO SOON

 

Big part of that problem of course is the very people who most need the protection of those regulations have been hypnotized into believing any government, all government, is bad.

 

meanwhile . . .

Here’s the real reason the EPA doesn’t want to test for toxins in East Palestine | Stephen Lester

 

The real winner of this ridiculous political debate?

Norfolk-Southern.