Pennsylvania’s top law enforcement officer joined a group issuing a letter to improve communication about potential dangerous situations.
Attorney General Michelle Henry was part of a coalition of 13 State Attorneys General sent a letter asking for an expansion of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s rule in order to include new communication between railroads and first responders.
Henry maintains that establishing a data depository of real-time hazardous material transportation would ensure first responders along the railroad route are more prepared in the event of an emergency.
The identification of this need was brought to light earlier this year during the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio when firefighters arriving at the scene were unable to identify chemicals in the cars for nearly an hour resulting in a delay of cleanup.
