WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will ask Congress to increase the maximum fine for railroad safety violations, Buttigieg said Sunday in a letter to Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw.
In another development stemming from the Feb. 3 derailment and fire of a NS train in East Palestine, Ohio, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee began an inquiry on rail practices in handling hazardous materials by asking CEOs of the seven Class I railroads for detailed information on safety practices.
The Washington Post reports Buttigieg’s letter says the Biden Administration will propose other rail safety measures in addition to addressing fines, which currently have a maximum of $225,455.
The Associated Press reports the letter calls on Norfolk Southern “to take a leadership position within the rail industry, shifting to a posture that focuses on supporting, not thwarting, efforts to raise the standard of U.S. rail safety regulation.”
The Post reported NS said it was reviewing the letter, and noted industry group the Association of American Railroads has said any discussion of regulatory changes is premature while the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the derailment.
On Friday, U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), chair of the Commerce Committee, sent letters to the seven Class I CEOs asking them to respond by March 17 to a series of 14 questions regarding railcar inspections, trackside defect detectors, response to hazardous-material incidents, and train characteristics including train length and electronically controlled pneumatic brakes.
“The Committee is requesting information to help determine how to improve safety,” the letter says in part, according to a press release from the committee. “Over the past five years, the Class I railroads have cut their workforce by nearly one third, shuttered railyards where railcars are traditionally inspected, and are running longer and heavier trains. While some of these changes may be an improvement, they also come with new risks that current federal regulations may not consider. … Every railroad must reexamine its hazardous materials safety practices to better protect its employees, the environment, and American families and reaffirm safety as a top priority.”
The press release includes the full letter to NS CEO Shaw, as well as a link to the letters to all seven CEOs.
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