By David Shepardson

(Reuters) -U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg mentioned Sunday he would name on main railroads to enhance security after a Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, of a prepare operated by Norfolk Southern (NYSE:).

Buttigieg in a letter to Norfolk Southern Chief Government Alan Shaw mentioned he would additionally urge Congress to boost the cap on fines towards railroads for violating security rules “to make sure their deterrent impact is commensurate with the financial proportions of right this moment’s giant railroad firms.”

Buttigieg mentioned he would quickly define particular security enhancements railroads ought to take instantly. He harshly criticized them for lobbying towards steps “meant to enhance rail security and to assist maintain People protected.”

“Main derailments prior to now have been adopted by requires reform – and by vigorous resistance by your trade to elevated security measures. This should change,” Buttigieg wrote.

Buttigieg has confronted harsh criticism from many Republicans in Congress for his response to the derailment of the prepare loaded with poisonous chemical substances that brought about a hearth and despatched a cloud of smoke over the city that pressured hundreds of residents to evacuate whereas railroad crews drained and burned off chemical substances.

No fatalities or accidents have been reported, however residents have been demanding solutions about potential well being dangers.

Buttigieg’s letter emphasised “the pressing want for Norfolk Southern to exhibit unequivocal help for the folks of East Palestine and the encompassing areas.”

Norfolk Southern mentioned Sunday it “obtained a duplicate of the letter from the secretary and are reviewing.” Shaw mentioned final week the railroad had established an preliminary $1 million group help fund and distributed $1.7 million in direct monetary help to greater than 1,100 households and companies to cowl evacuation prices.

“We is not going to allow you to down,” he informed residents in a letter.

Buttigieg’s letter mentioned that in response to many derailments, two U.S. businesses had finalized guidelines on high-hazard flammable trains and Electronically Managed Pneumatic (ECP) braking.

“Moderately than help these efforts to enhance rail security, Norfolk Southern and different rail firms spent tens of millions of {dollars} within the courts and lobbying members of Congress to oppose commonsense security rules, stopping some solely and lowering the scope of others,” Buttigieg wrote.

“Consequently, Congress enacted language that undermined the power of USDOT to maintain the ECP brake necessities, and so they have been finally withdrawn beneath the Trump administration.”

Buttigieg mentioned he additionally deliberate to stipulate “prioritized actions deliberate” by the U.S. Division of Transportation on rail security.

In response to the derailment, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell Friday opened an inquiry into railroad hazardous supplies security practices.

The Senate Atmosphere and Public Works Committee mentioned Friday it deliberate to carry a listening to on the derailment.

In a letter to Shaw and CEOs of main railroad firms, Cantwell mentioned “each railroad should reexamine its hazardous supplies security practices to higher defend its workers, the setting, and American households and reaffirm security as a prime precedence.”

The businesses included Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:)’s Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Canadian Nationwide, Canadian Pacific (NYSE:), CSX (NASDAQ:), Kansas Metropolis Southern (NYSE:) and Union Pacific (NYSE:).

A gaggle representing main railroads mentioned final week 99.9% of all hazmat shipments attain their vacation spot with out incident and the hazmat accident price has declined by 55% since 2012.