​Closing remarks as prepared for delivery.

​​On behalf of my fellow Board members and the NTSB staff, we extend our appreciation to the participants at this Hearing. 

I thank each of the witnesses for their testimony and the Parties for their cooperation — not only at this Hearing, but throughout the investigation. 

In the past two days, we’ve shed important light on the facts and circumstances of the February 3rd derailment in East Palestine, all of which we’ll consider in our final report. We look forward to completing our investigation and sharing our findings in the coming months.

Before we close, I’d like to ask Mr. Allen to please review the exhibit items that have been requested during this Hearing. Mr. Allen? Thank you; the record will remain open for additional materials that were requested during the Hearing.

The transcript will be made available to the Parties and witnesses electronically within seven days. Any corrections to the transcript must be sent to the Hearing Officer, Stephanie Shaw by Monday, July 24, 2023.

The archive of the Hearing webcast will be made available on the NTSB YouTube channel. 

The transcript of the Hearing and all materials entered into the record will become part of the public docket, along the additional exhibits enumerated a moment ago by Mr. Allen.

In closing, I’d like to extend the Board’s gratitude to our colleagues across the agency, starting with Stephanie Shaw and Ruben Payan. 

The Board also extends its appreciation to our colleagues in the following Offices for their vital support of this Hearing: 

• ​Office of the Chief Financial Officer.
• Office of the Chief Information Officer.
• Office of the General Counsel.
  
• Office of the Managing Director. 
• Office of Railroad, Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Investigations.
• Office of Research and Engineering.
• Office of Safety Recommendations and Communications.
• Office of Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
• Office of Administrative Law Judges.
• Office of Aviation Safety.
• The Offices of Vice Chair Landsberg and Members Graham and Chapman, as well as my team.
  

It is our hope that this Hearing and our subsequent investigation report will yield recommendations which, once acted upon, will prevent future derailments and hazmat releases from harming communities like East Palestine and its neighbors. 

We stand adjourned.

        ​