Buttigieg says agency will work on safety improvements in wake of East Palestine crash

TransportationSecretary Pete Buttigieg played up the agency’s new spending and actions aimed at improving rail safety and implementing regulations for freight operators in the wake of the East Palestine train derailment in testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

In his fiscal 2024 budget for road safety, Buttigieg stated before the Senate Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee on Thursday that the bureau is seeking$ 273 million in new funding, including more money to support the Federal Railroad Administration by enhancing its examination capabilities and increasing customer relationship to address risks.

He claimed that the DOT has advanced more than 70 crucial rail projects across the country and made approximately$ 18 billion in funding available to enhance bridge support and comfort.

A proposed policy to require railways to be staffed by a minimum of two team members has also been published by the department.

However, Buttigieg asserted that more must be done to increase road health. He has received harsh criticism for what some have called a sluggish and inadequate reaction to the Ohio teach accident.

While derailments are low compared to previous decades, Buttigieg stated on Thursday that the East Palestine catastrophe demonstrates the state of rail safety is” evidently never acceptable.”

In order to achieve this, Buttigieg advised the railing industry to” not rush” until the government had finished developing new safety regulations and taken independent action to put safeguards into place.

Sen. Brian Schatz( D – HI ), the subcommittee’s chairman, pressed Buttigieg regarding safety measures like wayside detecting devices, which are installed along tracks and are essential for preventing incidents before they happen.

The National Transportation Safety Board stated in a preliminary statement last month that the East Palestine disaster was probably brought on by an overheated roller bearing as well as the failure of numerous wayside detectors, which did not notice rail operators to the hot bearing until it was too soon.

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Although he stated that the department is interested in working with Congress to support create more regulations and standards for these products, Buttigieg said that generally, these nearby detection systems have not been regulated at the national level.

He claimed that over the past month,” by a number of railways” have deliberately implemented regulations, according to the DOT.

However, he added that the DOT is” interested in working with Congress, as well as examining our existing government, to produce more consistency and standardization about the use of these applications ,” from a governmental perspective. because we believe they may significantly reduce accidents and derailments.

A 150-car train derailed last month while carrying five harmful substances, which were released into the air, drinking, and soil as authorities rushed to prevent an explosion. This is a turning point for new legislation.

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Gov. The Norfolk Southern train was not classified as a” high hazardous material” train, so officials were unable to determine what hazardous chemicals it was carrying, according to Mike DeWine( R – OH ), who urged Congress to change the standards for dangerous material trains on Tuesday.