Rep. Chris Deluzio announces new rail safety measure to protect against derailments, spills

WASHINGTON — Pennsylvania Congressman Chris Deluzio announced a new rail safety measure to protect against derailments and spills.

It comes after a Congressional hearing on Tuesday focused on rail safety.

The measure, which is part of the bipartisan House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, builds off Deluzio’s “Railway Safety Act” and adds things like enrollment in a close-call reporting system, notification of first responders and more funding for railroad crossings.

“My constituents in Beaver County and our neighbors in Ohio had their lives turned upside-down by last year’s toxic train derailment—they want accountability and action, and so do I,” said Congressman Deluzio. “That’s why I’ve been pushing in Congress to pass my bill to make freight rail safer, the Railway Safety Act. I’m proud to join my colleagues to introduce the bipartisan Railroad Safety Enhancement Act. Building off the Railway Safety Act, this bill offers the momentum we need and, when passed into law, will be a powerful step to make freight rail safer and protect communities like ours.”

The NTSB chair reviewed the findings of the investigation into the February 2023 East Palestine derailment and issued 34 new safety recommendations.

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