A recent train derailment in Steel City, Pennsylvania, resulted in the spillage of diesel fuel and polypropylene pellets into the Lehigh River, raising environmental safety concerns.
Pamela Chergotis reports for River Reporter.
In short:
- A Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in Steel City, spilling diesel and plastic pellets into the Lehigh River.
- Emergency response teams quickly acted to contain the spill, deploying booms and assessing the situation with no immediate public hazard reported.
- This incident echoes concerns raised by the East Palestine derailment in 2023, highlighting ongoing issues with railroad safety and regulation stalling.
Key quote:
“There was a lot of noise about this a year ago, but now, one year later, I think, because of intense lobbying against this by the railroad industry, it has been very difficult to get many members of Congress on the record on whether they’re for or against this Railway Safety Act, even though it had both Republican and Democratic co-sponsors at the time.”
— Pete Buttigieg, U.S. Transportation Secretary
Why this matters:
Improving rail safety in the face of intense political pressure to stall or hobble regulatory overhaul is proving to be difficult, if not impossible in the current political climate. Advocates are demanding better protections, likening the current situation to "Russian Roulette.”
