In the near future, I plan to reintroduce SB 508, which would establish an emergency grant program for Pennsylvania residents who were negatively impacted by the East Palestine Train derailment and subsequent chemical release.  
 
In February of 2023, the train derailment on the Ohio/Pennsylvania border turned the lives of many Pennsylvania residents upside down.  At Pennsylvania Senate hearings, residents expressed fears that they may never feel comfortable living in their communities again.  Small business owners had their livelihoods vanish as once reliable customers stayed away from the area.  Farmers struggled to sell their products on the market to customers wary of any food products grown and produced in the derailment area.  The citizens of the areas impacted by the train derailment did not ask for this but have had to work to restore their livelihoods. 
 
My legislation would establish a Train Derailment Emergency Grant Program within the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).  Interagency fund transfers, federal funds, and monetary damages from any individuals or entities responsible for the train derailment along with forthcoming settlements will be deposited into the grant program for use in Pennsylvania.  PEMA will establish an application process and evaluate grant requests from affected individuals. The application approval process will take factors into account such as: proximity to train derailment, relocation expenses, medical expenses, and loss of business for small business owners and local farmers. 
 
Please join me in sponsoring this legislation, which would directly help those who have been impacted the most.