Rep. Sykes Statement On NTSB Final Report For East Palestine Train Derailment
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) issued the following statement regarding the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) final report on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine:
“I’m grateful to the NTSB for their efforts over the past year and a half to determine the cause of this derailment and provide vital answers to a community that is still healing and rebuilding from this tragedy. With this information in hand, there is absolutely no excuse for Congress not to act on policy that will improve rail safety, ensure hazardous materials are transported safely, and hold Norfolk Southern accountable for the trauma they have inflicted on the residents of East Palestine. My bipartisan RAIL Act addresses many of the concerns outlined in this report, including strengthening regulations to prevent wheel bearing failures. Now, the House Majority must immediately pass the RAIL Act to protect Americans and prevent a similar derailment from happening again,” said Rep. Sykes.
The final report confirmed the probable cause of the East Palestine derailment was a defective wheel bearing that overheated. The report also contains about two dozen recommendations to improve rail safety.
Ahead of the NTSB hearing, the Department of Transportation also announced a new rule yesterday that would require railroads to proactively give first responders real-time information about rail hazmat shipments or accidents involving hazardous materials. This rule was adopted in response to the derailment in East Palestine, and this policy measure is also included in Rep. Sykes’ bipartisan RAIL Act.