Rail safety plans likely to hit wall of industry lobbying
The Biden administration and congressional lawmakers are mulling new rail safety rules following the derailment in Ohio.
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The Biden administration and congressional lawmakers are mulling new rail safety rules following the derailment in Ohio.
On February 3, a 150-car train carrying toxic chemicals derailed near East Palestine, Ohio. Close to half the town’s 4,700 residents had to evacuate as deadly gas and smoke fouled the air and chemicals contaminated waterways. Fortunately, no people were killed (although at least 3,500 fish perished), unlike in the devastating 2013 runaway train explosion that levelled the town
Trains carry hazardous chemicals everyday. They're also dangerously unregulated.
A toxic, fiery train derailment in rural Ohio is putting the railroad industry's history of cuts and deregulation in the spotlight.
What is really causing severe derailments in the United States? And is there something we can do about it? Columnist Rob Moore digs into the policy options to prevent the next East Palestine-type train disaster.