Did you know that when the Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio in 2023, it was heading for New Jersey? This event was a wake-up call for our millions of NJ neighbors living in and along corridor communities. The derailment released hazardous polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-used to make plastic materials-into the local environment. Forced evacuations brought up the memories and lived experiences of those in Paulsboro, NJ a decade earlier. This raised deep concerns about the safety and security of freight train transport across the land.
Outrage turned into action and across the land, advocates, local leaders, first responders, faith leaders have demanded lawmakers not simply speak but legislate. At the national, federal level, bills had been introduced, all directly informed by what transpired in East Palestine, Ohio. Waterspirit’s Public Policy & Justice Organizer has participated in memorial events, advocacy education and media coverage throughout the past several years.
Close to our hearts and communities in New Jersey, legislators responded to ongoing, consistent and mounting concern. After years of advocacy –anchored by a statewide advocacy group called the Coalition to Ban Unsafe Oil Trains-the NJ state legislature passed a comprehensive rail safety bill (S3389/A4460) into law late in 2025 by now outgoing Governor Phil Murphy. This makes NJ one of the states with some of the strongest rail safety regulations in the country. This law mandates that that a two-person minimum of crews on hazardous material trains, requires wayside detection systems, and increases transparency and inspection access for worker and public safety.
Though not an end point, we celebrate a meaningful step forward- the rail safety bill, now law, is a foundation for safer railways, healthier waterways and stronger protections for communities everywhere. This success demonstrates what sustained advocacy can achieve when we keep pushing for science-based policy and put people and watersheds first. Join the Waterspirit community, volunteer with us, as we work together to protect sacred water.