Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act

Casey, Robert P., Jr.

Assistance for Local Heroes During Train Crises Act This bill establishes a Hazardous Train Event Emergency Reimbursement Fund for state and local emergency response groups. Specifically, upon a declaration by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) that a hazardous train event has occurred, the FRA must immediately award at least $250,000 from the emergency fund to one or more eligible groups (e.g., law enforcement agencies and fire departments). Additional amounts may be awarded, but may not exceed $3 million per hazardous train event. The FRA may declare a hazardous train event has occurred following a derailment or crash involving a train carrying hazardous materials, hazardous waste, or other materials that pose a threat to public health, safety, and the environment. Costs associated with a response to a hazardous train event that are eligible for reimbursement include (1) replacing damaged or contaminated equipment; (2) overtime pay for firefighters, law enforcement officers, or other emergency responders; and (3) retroactively covering these types of incurred costs after the event date. The FRA must also (1) establish annual fees for shippers and carriers of hazardous materials by rail that have total annual collections of at least $10 million, and (2) deposit the fees into the reimbursement fund. Further, the Department of Transportation must issue regulations requiring railroads that transport hazardous materials by train to provide county and local emergency response groups with (1) advanced warning of the train's load and timing, and (2) real-time location information on the train when it enters and exits the community's service area.