In the wake of the February 2023 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, much has been said about what could have been done differently, but until recently, little had actually changed.

A new rule from the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration aims to expand access to information about hazardous materials carried on a train that derails. Such information is absolutely essential for the firefighters and other first responders trying to deal with a derailment.

The federal rule requires all railroads to have a list of the hazardous material being transported and to provide that list to emergency personnel as soon as they learn of a crash or derailment.

“There are so many different types of hazardous materials being transported across the country on any given day — 1 in 10 goods that move across the United States — and each one, poses unique risks and hazards, certainly to the folks who are running towards a fire,” said Tristan Brown, assistant director of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. “But certainly as well for anybody who may be living or working in that vicinity.”

The list would ensure firefighters and other emergency responders know what kind of protective gear they will need, as well as if the area needs to be evacuated.

The rule was announced Monday, the day before the final hearing on the derailment by the National Transportation Safety Board and more than a year since the derailment.

It’s an excellent first step and a common-sense regulation that helps keep the public safe. But it’s far from all that needs to be done.

Now that the NTSB hearings are over, it’s time for Congress to act, before there is another disaster to be investigated.

— JK