US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urged lawmakers to move quickly to tighten rules for freight railroads, saying he’s “encouraged” by a bipartisan push in Congress in the wake of last month’s toxic wreck in Ohio.
(Bloomberg) — US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urged lawmakers to move quickly to tighten rules for freight railroads, saying he’s “encouraged” by a bipartisan push in Congress in the wake of last month’s toxic wreck in Ohio.
The failure of past efforts to produce meaningful change shows that legislators should act now rather than waiting for a final report by National Transportation Safety Board, Buttigieg said Monday in an interview with Bloomberg News.
“Use this,” he said. “Don’t miss the urgency of this moment to get durable actions.”
The Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern Corp. train in East Palestine, Ohio, spilled toxic chemicals in the small town, raising health concerns among residents and setting off multiple rounds of finger-pointing, including attacks on Buttigieg for not doing more.
A Senate bill, prompted in part by the derailment, would set minimum train staffing and increase penalties for safety violations, among other provisions. It’s supported by Democrats and several prominent Republicans.
GOP support has been slower to coalesce around the measure in the House, and some lawmakers have sought to wait until investigators conclude their work.
“I think it’s pedantic to say that we can’t do any further regulation for a year and a half while NTSB is doing their report because we may not know exactly which rule might have been applicable in this particular derailment,” Buttigieg said. “The point is to have fewer derailments period, especially ones with hazardous material releases, fatalities or injuries.”
Buttigieg said agencies within the department are also urging railroads to take voluntary action before laws or new regulations take effect, such as notifying residents when toxic materials are being transported through their communities.
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