Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to visit East Palestine on Thursday

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will meet with East Palestine residents on Thursday, the same day the National Transportation Safety Board is expected to release the initial findings on the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern train derailment.

Earlier this week, Buttigieg said the incident underscores the need to strengthen rules and ensure railroads are held accountable for any mistakes.

"I would say there's a window of opportunity with Congress now, after what happened to East Palestine, that I do not think existed before," Buttigieg told reporters Monday. "We need to use that window of opportunity to raise the bar."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday ordered Norfolk Southern to conduct all necessary actions associated with cleaning up the fiery train derailment in East Palestine, stepping up its oversight efforts after residents complained about rashes and other health concerns.

The order came a little more than two weeks after a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, spilling chemicals into the environment and spurring health concerns. Five of the cars contained vinyl chloride, which was discharged through a controlled release to prevent an explosion.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to visit East Palestine