REP. SYKES STATEMENT ON NTSB PRELIMINARY REPORT FOR EAST PALESTINE TRAIN DERAILMENT
Washington, D.C.— Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13) issued the following statement regarding the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) preliminary report on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine.
“I am grateful to the NTSB for their efforts to determine the cause of this derailment, and I look forward to seeing the full report. Furthermore, I am hopeful my colleagues from both sides of the aisle can come together and thoughtfully address train and rail safety as our constituents across the country are counting on us to protect them from disasters like what happened in East Palestine. The American public deserves our utmost attention to ensuring their safety, no matter where they live,” said Rep. Sykes. “Though this investigation is ongoing, it is clear there are actions Congress can take to ensure hazardous materials are transported safely, and to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for the significant trauma they have inflicted on our communities. I will continue my calls for the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials to convene a hearing to investigate this derailment, identify avenues to support the people impacted, and to determine how to prevent a disaster like this from happening again.”
According to the report, surveillance video from a local residence showed what appeared to be a wheel bearing in the final stage of overheat failure moments before the derailment. The wheel bearing and affected wheelset have been collected as evidence and will be examined by the NTSB.
On Feb. 16, Rep. Sykes, the sole member of the Ohio delegation serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, sent a letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Chairman Troy Nehls (TX-22) and Ranking Member Donald M. Payne Jr. (NJ-10) requesting a hearing to investigate the East Palestine train derailment. She has also visited East Palestine twice since the disaster occurred.