Summary:
In a significant setback for railroad safety reform, contributions from a major oil corporation may have stalled critical legislation in Congress. Occidental Petroleum, the producer of the toxic chemicals released during a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year, donated $2 million to the Senate GOP’s super PAC as bipartisan rail safety legislation was delayed. The American Chemistry Council, Occidental’s lobbying arm, also donated $250,000 to the House GOP’s super PAC while campaigning for amendments that would weaken the proposed bill.

The rail safety bill, initially presented as a landmark opportunity to impose new regulations on the rail industry, appears doomed six months after the East Palestine disaster. Despite comprehensive amendments proposed by Senator J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) and Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash), the legislation is still not expected to garner sufficient Republican support for Senate passage. As part of the amendments, the deadline to replace older, puncture-vulnerable tank cars with safer models was extended by three years — a move heavily promoted by chemical and rail supply industry lobbyists. The derailment in East Palestine involved flammable and carcinogenic vinyl chloride being transported in such outdated tank cars.