Report: SCOTUS Passes on Ohio Grade Crossing Law Dispute
The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) on Jan. 8 declined to consider Ohio’s bid “to enforce a state law that penalizes railroads if their trains block grade crossings for more than five minutes, turning away a case that sought further clarity on the scope of federal preemption concerning rail regulations,” according to Law360 Senior Reporter Linda Chiem.
Railroads to Investors: ‘We Got This’
In 2024, rail lobbyists, attorneys and influencers will toil to block costly rail safety legislation, derail a bill delimiting management operating-plan discretion and thwart unwelcome STB and Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) decrees.
Topping challenges is the Rail Safety Act (S. 576), hastily born of populist politics following train mishaps, including a February 2023 Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that terrifyingly spilled and ignited hazardous chemicals—the cleanup costs approaching $1 billion