TRACK Act

Bill: 114-s-1114
Sponsor: Sen. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2015-04-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accidents
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Civil actions and liability
Department of Transportation
Emergency communications systems
Emergency planning and evacuation
Environmental health
First responders and emergency personnel
Government studies and investigations
Hazardous wastes and toxic substances
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Railroads
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-28
text: 

Toxics by Rail Accountability and Community Knowledge Act of 2015 or the TRACK Act

 
 Requires railroad carriers found at fault for an unintended release of hazardous materials (hazmat) due to a railroad accident or incident during calendar year 2010 to: 
 
 
review periodically any post-accident public health assessments of hazmat-exposed individuals who could experience long-lasting or irreversible health effects;
 
inform those individuals in a timely manner of any health information, including information on long-lasting or irreversible health consequences; and 
 
offer to renegotiate any legal settlements made to affected individuals in which additional information about potential for such consequences has been later disclosed in a post-accident public health assessment.
 
 
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to prescribe regulations:
 
 
 requiring railroad carriers transporting hazmat to give first responders, emergency response officials, and law enforcement personnel accurate and current commodity flow data and assist with the development of emergency operations and hazmat response plans for railroad accidents or incidents; and
 
establishing a procedure for railroad carriers to permit a train to pass a red signal at a moveable bridge.
 
 
Requires the Secretary, in collaboration with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association, to develop route safety and security risk assessment tools for short line and regional railroad carriers.
 
Revises the railroad safety risk reduction program by requiring railroad carriers to develop a comprehensive program to improve safety by reducing the number and rates of accidents, incidents, injuries, and fatalities (as under current law) through the use of safety management systems and their associated key principles, analysis of operational incidents and accidents, and continuous evaluation and improvement programs.
 
Directs the Secretary to prescribe regulations requiring railroad carriers transporting hazmat to:
 
 
give first responders, emergency response officials, and law enforcement personnel real-time information regarding hazmat on the train in the event of an incident, accident, or emergency; and
 
develop a public education program for communities along railroad hazmat routes.
 
 
Prescribes certain civil penalties for any railroad carrier that violates a requirement or regulation under this Act.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-04-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2015-04-28
text: Introduced in Senate