A five-month investigation into Maine’s freight rails has discovered a poorly regulated railway system governed largely by its own freight railroad companies.

The investigation, conducted by the Portland Press Herald, found that 965 miles of Maine’s 1,457 railroads are inspected, maintained and policed by eight privately owned freight railroad companies.

This self-regulation has led to several unreported incidents, including three derailments, two accidents and three employee injuries in the past six years.

The Press Herald also discovered poorly maintained railways, which are now the leading cause of derailments in the state. A concern for many, including state representative Tavis Hasenfus, because Maine has no oversight or authority over the materials freight trains carry.

Railroad companies are expected to make a report when moving large amounts of hazardous materials across the state. However, the Press Herald concluded that these reports are rarely made in time and the state is not immediately aware of the hazardous materials a train may be carrying in the event of a derailment.