Kunze Encouraged by Findings in Rail Safety Final Report

COLUMBUS—State Senator Stephanie Kunze (R-Dublin), along with the other members of the Senate Select Committee on Rail Safety, adopted a final report during today’s committee hearing. 

The Select Committee on Rail Safety was formed on February 24, 2023 to gain a better understanding of why the catastrophic derailment in East Palestine occurred and to determine how the Ohio General Assembly can assist the efforts of the East Palestine recovery, as well as how to best prevent and respond to future accidents. Over the course of five meetings, the committee heard testimony from thirteen individuals who reviewed and analyzed the events that happened during and after the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The members also spent a day on site in East Palestine to hear directly from local leaders and tour the ongoing clean up efforts. 

“I am grateful for the work that my colleagues and I completed over the last several months in order to gain a better understanding of the devastating accident in East Palestine,” Kunze said. “Our work is not over but this report serves as a springboard of what we can continue to advocate for in order to have safe passageway for freight rail in the Buckeye State.”

You can find the full final report here.