Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance attacked the rail industry for criticizing a safety bill he co-sponsored with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, amid worries among others in the GOP that the legislation could put too many regulations on railroads.
The bill would require the Transportation Department to establish new safety regulations for trains carrying hazardous materials that are not classified as “high-hazard flammable.” Its provisions would require railroads to notify states when they are passing through, limit train length and restrict speeds.
The legislation is in response to February’s Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that spilled toxic chemicals into the surrounding community’s soil, water and air.
