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      U.S. Sen. John Fetterman shakes hands with fellow Pennsylvania Democrat Sen. Bob Casey at Belmont Water Treatment Center in Philadelphia on February 3, 2023. ​

      In Fiery Shadow of New Train Disaster, Fetterman Leads Railway Accountability Act

      "This bill will implement commonsense safety reforms, hold the big railway companies accountable, protect the workers who make these trains run, and help prevent future catastrophes," said the Pennsylvania Democrat.

      Jessica Corbett
      Mar 30, 2023

      As a train derailment and fire forced evacuations in Minnesota on Thursday, a trio of Democratic U.S. senators introduced another piece of legislation inspired by the ongoing public health and environmental disaster in and around East Palestine, Ohio.

      The Railway Accountability Act—led by Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio)—would build on the bipartisan Railway Safety Act introduced at the beginning of March by Brown and Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) after a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials including vinyl chloride derailed in the small Ohio community on February 3.

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      Ohio EPA and EPA contractors collect soil and air samples

      East Palestine Soil Contains Dioxin Levels Hundreds of Times Over Cancer Risk Threshold

      "I certainly wouldn't be comfortable living there," said one organic chemist.

      Jake Johnson
      Mar 17, 2023

      East Palestine, Ohio residents' concerns about the enduring impact of last month's fiery train derailment are likely to intensify following the release of data showing that levels of dioxin in the soil near the wreck site are far higher than the cancer risk threshold recommended by federal scientists.

      Dioxin is a toxic and carcinogenic byproduct of burning vinyl chloride, a hazardous chemical that at least five Norfolk Southern train cars were carrying when they derailed in early February, sparking a full-blown environmental and public health disaster.

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      Ron Fodo of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency examines a creek following a Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine on February 20, 2023.

      100+ Groups Detail Demands for Dioxin Testing After Toxic Train Derailment

      "It's important for the residents of East Palestine that accurate and transparent testing for dioxin be done at the lowest levels possible, so that the residents can begin to understand the risks they face and can make informed decisions to protect their health," said one expert.

      Jessica Corbett
      Mar 13, 2023

      While welcoming a federal order that Norfolk Southern test for dioxins near a derailed train that was carrying hazardous materials through East Palestine, Ohio, over 100 groups on Monday shared "recommendations on how this testing should be conducted to improve transparency, rebuild public trust, and comprehensively address possible releases."

      The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) told the rail company to develop a plan to test for dioxins—carcinogenic chemical compounds that persist in the environment and human body and are tied to developmental, reproductive, and immune system problems—only after nearly a month of pressure from residents across Ohio and Pennsylvania.

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