KINGSTON- Supervisors and mayors in Ulster County sent a letter to County Executive Jen Metzger regarding the Ulster County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan and requested that the plan be updated and communicated to the public. This request is in response to the recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, and concerns that trains carrying hazardous materials operate in Ulster County.
Metzger responded to the request, outlining the roles and responsibilities of the various layers of government, and invited the mayors and supervisors to attend an educational roundtable discussion to be held in the near future. The purpose of the meeting will be to help local leaders understand the readiness plans created and maintained by fire departments and municipal agencies should such an incident occur.
In the letter, Metzger wrote, “The health and safety of Ulster County residents is my first priority, and I understand your concerns and the concerns of the public to make sure that we are well-prepared to respond to a human-made disaster of this kind. I will do everything possible within the purview of my office and the County to protect our communities. This includes demanding regulatory action at the federal level to improve rail safety and prevent such a catastrophe from happening in the first place. At the local level, the County has plans in place to respond to these types of emergencies and stands ready to implement them.”
Earlier this month a freight train derailed on the west side of the Hudson River.
