REP. SYKES VISITS EAST PALESTINE, REQUESTS HOUSE RAILROADS SUBCOMMITTE HEARING TO INVESTIGATE TRAIN DERAILMENT
EAST PALESTINE, OH— Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13) joined U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Rep. Bill Johnson (OH-06), Rep. Chris Deluzio (PA-17), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan, and Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel in East Palestine to discuss the latest updates on the Norfolk Southern train derailment.
Rep. Sykes, the sole Ohio member serving on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, also sent a letter to House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Chairman Troy Nehls (TX-22) and Ranking Member Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10) requesting a hearing to investigate the East Palestine train derailment.
“The movement of air and water — and the hazardous materials which this derailment has exposed them to — transcend political boundaries and have the potential to impact our communities and neighbors for years to come,” wrote Rep. Sykes. “As such, following the submission of the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report, I strongly recommend the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials convene to provide clarity on the origin of this accident, identify all avenues available to support the people and communities most impacted, and determine how to implement guard rails and preventative measures to stop a disaster like this from happening again.”
The East Palestine train derailment occurred in Ohio’s Sixth Congressional District, which directly borders Ohio’s 13th Congressional District.
A copy of the full letter is below.
Dear Chairman Nehls and Ranking Member Payne:
I write today to request the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials convene a hearing at the earliest possible time with respect to the February 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train derailment that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio.
I remain deeply grateful to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Transportation Safety Board for their swift response to this crisis. The movement of air and water — and the hazardous materials which this derailment has exposed them to — transcend political boundaries and have the potential to impact our communities and neighbors for years to come. While I am grateful thus far, there have been no injuries resulting from this accident, I remain concerned for the thousands of individuals who were forced to evacuate their homes and the long-term impact on their health and safety this incident will cause.
As the sole Member of the Ohio delegation to serve on the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I believe it is our responsibility to conduct meaningful oversight of events such as this. As such, following the submission of the National Transportation Safety Board’s preliminary report, I strongly recommend the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials convene to provide clarity on the origin of this accident, identify all avenues available to support the people and communities most impacted, and determine how to implement guard rails and preventative measures to stop a disaster like this from happening again.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to working with you to ensure we do everything in our power to minimize the chances of similar tragedies occurring in the future.
Sincerely,
Emilia Strong Sykes
Member of Congress
Thirteenth District, Ohio