Norfolk Southern Apologizes to Ohio Residents after Train Crash
2023.02.23 03:42
Norfolk Southern Apologizes to Ohio Residents after Train Crash
By Ray Johnson
Budrigannews.com – According to a statement made by its chief executive on Wednesday, Norfolk Southern will assume responsibility for the cleanup of the environmental damage caused by this month’s train derailment and controlled detonation of hazardous materials in East Palestine, Ohio.
In a CNN town call, CEO Alan Shaw addressed irate East Palestine residents, a day after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered the rail operator to “pay for cleaning up the mess” caused by toxic chemicals released into the air, water, and soil on February 3.
For the CNN event, Shaw met with residents of the town of 4,700 people and repeatedly apologized, stating, “We’re going to do what’s right for the community.”
The company and environmental regulators in Ohio and the United States have hired experts who claim testing demonstrates that the air and water are safe.
However, incredulous residents report persistent chemical odors, nausea, rashes, and other symptoms they attribute to the accident.
Shaw stated that the company had sponsored the removal of 4,600 cubic yards of contaminated soil and 1.7 million gallons of polluted water and had set aside a “down payment” of $7 million to assist the town in its recovery.
NYSE: Norfolk Southern reported a net profit of $3.27 billion in 2022, when it repurchased $3.1 billion worth of shares and distributed nearly $1.2 billion in dividends to shareholders.
Jake Tapper, a host on CNN, also stated a figure that Shaw did not dispute: that the company has spent tens of millions of dollars lobbying for deregulation over the past two decades.
Chief Financial Officer Mark George earlier informed an investor conference that was hosted by Barclays (LON:) that Norfolk Southern will quantify costs associated with the cleanup no later than its first-quarter earnings. A liability policy that will cover up to $1.1 billion in certain situations is one type of insurance that will assist in defraying those expenses.
As part of a remediation strategy that will also include sampling of soil and surface water, the company also stated in a statement on Wednesday that it would replace tracks and excavate soil in the derailment area.
People at the CNN town hall didn’t like that plan. They asked Shaw a lot of questions about why train service came back so quickly, why the original remediation plan didn’t excavate soil beneath the tracks, and why the train kept running despite warning signs that the wheels were overheating.
Jim Stewart, 65, who lives near the accident site, stated, “I’m angry.”
Stewart stated that he intended to sell his house so that he could retire, but his property’s value has since decreased. You appear to be sincere. I am not disparaging you. However, your business is bad.”
Shaw said he couldn’t talk about the accident until the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) looked into it. The NTSB has said it will release a preliminary report on its first findings into the derailment on Thursday.
On Thursday, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg of the United States will visit the location to meet members of the community and attend a briefing on the investigation. Representatives from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration will be with him.
