Train operator <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/norfolk-southern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norfolk Southern</a> said Tuesday that it has reached a $600 million deal in principle to <a href="https://nsmakingitright.com/norfolk-southern-reaches-agreement-in-principle-to-settleeast-palestine-derailment-class-action/">settle</a> a class-action lawsuit related to the massive derailment last year in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/east-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East Palestine</a>, Ohio, which led to the release of toxic chemicals into the air and widespread economic and environmental damage. 
The Atlanta-based company said the settlement, which still needs to be approved by a court, was part of its promise &#8220;to make it right for the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities.&#8221;
“If approved by the court, the agreement will resolve all class action claims within a 20-mile radius from the derailment and, for those residents who choose to participate, personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius from the derailment,” Norfolk Southern said. 
“The company is going further through this comprehensive settlement — providing additional, significant monetary relief to individuals, including for healthcare, and to help qualifying local businesses continue to rebuild and grow,” the train operator said. “The agreement is designed to provide finality and flexibility for settlement class members. Individuals and businesses will be able to use compensation from the settlement in any manner they see fit to address potential adverse impacts from the derailment.”
Money from the settlement could go toward healthcare, medical monitoring, property restoration and diminution, compensation for any net business loss due, and any other loss due to the disaster.
After the February 2023 derailment, responders busted open several train cars and burned the vinyl chloride chemicals inside, releasing toxic fumes into the area. The chemicals were burned over concerns that the train cars could explode, but National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/controlled-burn-of-toxic-chemicals-that-unleashed-mushroom-cloud-over-east-palestine-wasnt-necessary-federal-official-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last month that the burn was not justified.
Norfolk Southern added that the settlement doesn’t mean admitting any wrongdoing or fault. Former federal district judge Layn Phillips helped to mediate the negotiations. 
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The railway company is <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-epa-unveil-lawsuit-against-norfolk-southern-over-east-palestine-train-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">facing</a> an additional lawsuit from the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency to require Norfolk Southern to pay for the entire disaster cleanup.
“With this complaint, the Justice Department and the EPA are acting to pursue justice for the residents of East Palestine and ensure that Norfolk Southern carries the financial burden for the harm it has caused and continues to inflict on the community,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement after the lawsuit was filed.

U.S.-OHIO-FREIGHT TRAIN-TOXIC CHEMICALS-DERAILMENT

Norfolk Southern Announces $600 Million Settlement With East Palestine Residents Over Train Derailment

Disasters

East Palestine

Norfolk Southern

Ohio

Ohio Train Disaster

Train

U.S.

A federal official with the National Transportation Safety Board said that the controlled burning of toxic chemicals in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/east-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East Palestine</a>, Ohio, after a massive train derailment last year was not justified. 
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told lawmakers on Wednesday that there would have been alternatives to busting open the train cars and burning the vinyl chloride chemicals inside after a train operated by Norfolk Southern crashed in February of 2023. The burn released toxic fumes into the area and left residents with concerns about their health and safety. 
The company in charge of the chemicals, Oxy Vinyls, reportedly did not think a deadly explosion would occur, telling contractors with Norfolk Southern that “there was no justification to do a vent and burn,” according to Homendy. Instead, they could have waited and let the chemicals cool down. 
Homendy said that Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) and other first responders did not know that this was a possibility. 
“So Oxy Vinyls was on scene providing information to Norfolk Southern’s contractor who was in the room when the decision was made, and when advice was given to the governor of Ohio, to the incident commander, they were not given full information because no one was told Oxy Vinyls was on scene,” Homendy said. “They were left out of the room. The incident commander didn’t even know they existed. Neither did the governor. So they were provided incomplete information to make a decision.”
The information came out as Homendy was <a href="https://www.vance.senate.gov/press-releases/ntsb-chair-homendy-chemical-explosion-in-east-palestine-didnt-need-to-happen-experts-were-ignored/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questioned</a> by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) about whether the controlled burn was necessary to avoid an explosion of the toxic chemicals. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨WATCH: NTSB Chair Homendy tells Senator @JDVance1 the chemical explosion in East Palestine, OH did not have to happen
“They were provided incomplete information to make a decision&#8230;there was no justification to do a vent and burn.” <a href="https://t.co/5vR5sd8CDZ">pic.twitter.com/5vR5sd8CDZ</a>
&mdash; Senator Vance Press Office (@SenVancePress) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenVancePress/status/1765513323229900914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“To sort of recap for folks, the mushroom cloud, the chemical mushroom cloud that captured headlines across the country was the result of a controlled burn,” Vance said, before saying that the central question was whether the burn was justified or not. Vance pointed out that the measured temperature of the chemical tank cars had dropped and stabilized after the crash. 
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Homendy said that to justify the burn, temperatures in the chemical tank cars would have to be rapidly increasing and there would have to be an infusion of oxygen into the cars. Both of these factors were not in play, according to Homendy. 
Vance called the revelations “extraordinary” and suggested that the burn was done so that more traffic and freight could be moved through quickly. 
After the crash, many East Palestine residents were forced to evacuate their homes after the derailment as the toxic chemicals burned, releasing poisonous fumes into the air, ground, and water. Norfolk Southern was sued by East Palestine <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-class-action-lawsuit-filed-by-residents-against-norfolk-southern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">residents</a>, the state of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/entirely-avoidable-ohio-sues-norfolk-southern-for-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ohio</a>, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-epa-unveil-lawsuit-against-norfolk-southern-over-east-palestine-train-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">federal government</a>.

Screen Shot 2024-03-08 at 11.08.43 AM

Controlled Burn Of Toxic Chemicals That Unleashed Mushroom Cloud Over East Palestine Wasn’t Necessary, Federal Official Says

JD Vance

Mike DeWine

National transportation Safety Board

Rail company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/entirely-avoidable-ohio-sues-norfolk-southern-for-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norfolk Southern</a> doubled its estimate on the cost of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/east-palestine-residents-could-see-long-term-health-risks-from-highly-toxic-chemicals-analysis-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">East Palestine</a>, Ohio, train derailment disaster, now saying the associated costs will be $803 million. 
Executives said the majority of the cost is from the environmental cleanup as crews continue to work to remove the hazardous chemicals released when tankers carrying them derailed six months ago, The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/norfolk-southern-nsc-q2-earnings-report-8b598b5b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Norfolk Southern recorded a $416 million charge stemming from the East Palestine disaster Thursday as part of its second-quarter earnings. Earlier this year, the rail giant announced a $387 million charge, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-railroad-earnings-east-palestine-derailment-4a3d912b8cb4e66e1613e44220aba4c4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Associated Press. 
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said he is “proud of the way our team rose to the challenge” as his company seeks to help with cleanup efforts and improve the safety of the railroad.
“We are delivering on our commitment to recover service quickly,” Shaw said. “We’re delivering on our commitment to make a safe railroad even safer. We’re delivering on our commitment to address quality of life issues for our hard-working craft railroaders. And we continue to deliver on our commitment to make things right for the people of East Palestine and the surrounding communities.”
The company’s profit from railway operations dropped by more than half in the most recent quarter compared to the previous year, and overall revenue dropped 8% to $3 billion, according to Norfolk Southern. The company’s profit dropped to $356 million ($1.56 per share) from $819 million ($3.45 per share) a year ago. Norfolk Southern estimated that without the derailment costs it would’ve earned $2.95 per share in the quarter.  
Norfolk Southern’s $803 million estimate does not include money to compensate East Palestine residents for any <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/east-palestine-residents-could-see-long-term-health-risks-from-highly-toxic-chemicals-analysis-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long-term health effects</a> related to the chemical spill. The company opted to burn several cars filled with the dangerous chemical vinyl chloride over fears that the cars would explode. The fire sent a cloud of smoke that remained over the town of 4,700 for days. Nearly six months after the disaster, chemicals from the derailment appear to still be present in a creek as trucks continue to haul contaminated water and soil out of the town, WSJ <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/ohio-train-derailment-norfolk-southern-update-cb5815ee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
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“From the beginning, we’ve been clear that we would be in town for the long haul,” said Connor Spielmaker, a Norfolk Southern spokesman. “We don’t have a timeline to provide as far as when it’ll be ‘job done,’ but we will be there until it is.”
Earlier this month, Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) <a href="https://governor.ohio.gov/media/news-and-media/governor-dewine-requests-presidential-disaster-declaration-for-east-palestine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> President Joe Biden to issue a major disaster declaration order, which would allow the town to receive federal aid in the cleanup, but the Biden administration still has not made a decision.

East Palestine Train Disaster

Norfolk Southern Says Cost Of East Palestine Derailment Has Doubled As Chemical Cleanup Continues

Norfolk Southern Says Cost Of East Palestine Derailment Has Doubled As Chemical Cleanup Continues 6 Months Later

A freight train derailed in eastern Pennsylvania on Monday morning, triggering precautionary evacuations from homes and businesses in the area.
The 40-car CSX freight train derailed in Whitemarsh Township just north of Philadelphia at about 4:50 am. About 15 to 20 cars were bumped off the tracks, <a href="https://6abc.com/freight-train-derailment-whitemarsh-township-montgomery-county-pa/13513612/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to helicopter footage.
So far, there are no reports of hazardous materials leaking from the train cars, and there are no reported injuries.
&#8220;As of now, the only thing that is leaking from any of the rail cars involved is silicone pellets, which pose no risk to the community,&#8221; Whitemarsh Township police <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WhitemarshTownshipPD" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
“Precautionary evacuations have occurred at the residents and businesses closest to the scene. It is not believed that further evacuations will be needed, but we will evaluate as we know more,” police <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WhitemarshTownshipPD/posts/pfbid0e5eEdYcUwxzB69oZNBwAWKXg2wfVSzbMfdQXUJsWk2re9wadPR52ktKHSTvk2NEAl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.
County emergency public safety workers are also on the scene, police said.
CSX said in a press release that only one car was transporting hazardous materials and that the local fire department evacuated about a dozen homes &#8220;out of an abundance of caution.&#8221;
&#8220;The cause of the incident appears to be weather related,&#8221; CSX <a href="https://www.csx.com/index.cfm/about-us/media/press-releases/csx-responding-to-derailment-in-whitemarsh-township-pa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in their press release.
Investigators are still working to find the cause of the derailment.
The CSX train was traveling on tracks owned by Norfolk Southern, the company behind the Ohio train derailment in February that spilled harmful chemicals into the environment.
In February, a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, causing highly noxious chemicals to leak into the area&#8217;s atmosphere.
Officials decided to do a controlled burn of the chemicals in the train cars, releasing them into the air. One of those chemicals was vinyl chloride, a highly flammable substance used to make PVC and known to cause cancer.
Residents of East Palestine were initially evacuated but were later told they could return to their homes. However, many remained concerned that the dangerous materials have impacted air and water quality, and some residents reported negative health effects, including trouble breathing, headaches, and damage to their voices. Animals also died in the wake of the accident, including thousands of fish.
The Ohio derailment and a string of other Norfolk Southern derailments prompted Congress to ask Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw to testify before Congress.
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During his testimony, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) pushed Shaw to commit to lobbying for improved safety regulations.
“I just really thought when you said ‘turn over a new leaf,’ I thought you were saying you were going to now support safety regulations,” Merkley <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-norfolk-southern-train-derails-as-ceo-testifies-to-congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “I’m sorry you can’t tell this crowd here today that would like to hear that, that that is the case.”
In the aftermath of the accidents, the National Transportation Safety Board also announced a special investigation into Norfolk Southern.
Police said that Norfolk Southern and CSX representatives were at the crash site.
Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro <a href="https://twitter.com/GovernorShapiro/status/1680904025338683392">said</a> he and his team are &#8220;monitoring&#8221; the train derailment and assisting local responders.
&nbsp;

U.S. Rail Traffic Rises Following Holidays

Evacuations After Train Carrying Hazardous Materials Derails in Pennsylvania

General

Pennsylvania

The Norfolk Southern 100-car train derailment and subsequent toxic chemical fallout in East Palestine, Ohio, caused nearly half of the U.S. government investigators to experience symptoms of illness while studying the health impacts, authorities said.
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/31/health/ohio-train-derailment-cdc-team-symptoms/index.html">CNN</a> last week that seven of the 15-member crew, which included members of the Epidemic Intelligence Service, began feeling symptoms while surveying town residents&#8217; homes near the contaminated areas.
&#8220;Symptoms resolved for most team members later the same afternoon, and everyone resumed work on survey data collection within 24 hours,&#8221; a CDC spokesperson told the network. &#8220;Impacted team members have not reported ongoing health effects.&#8221;
Local and state authorities previously evacuated all residents within one mile of the February 3 derailment and started a controlled burn of substances on the vehicle. Five of those train cars emitted vinyl chloride, a human carcinogen used to manufacture PVC, and formed massive plumes of black smoke visible throughout eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Residents have since raised the alarm over health symptoms they experienced after the controlled burn.
Before working from their hotels, some group members began experiencing sore throats, headaches, coughing, and nausea, which mirrored the symptoms reported by many of the town&#8217;s residents near the derailment site.
Federal officials did not disclose what caused investigators to experience such symptoms.
Two contractors from the Environmental Protection Agency out of 100 personnel working on the derailment also reported health symptoms after working in areas where the chemicals created strong odors.
The Ohio Department of Health published the results of <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/OHIOGOVERNOR/bulletins/34c4146?reqfrom=share">surveys</a> conducted at its East Palestine Health Assessment Clinic, plus door-to-door visits by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, four weeks after the chemical catastrophe permeated the town&#8217;s atmosphere.
The results showed more than half of the 168 After Chemical Exposure (ACE) community surveys reported headaches, anxiety, coughing, fatigue, and irritated skin after the derailment. However, the surveys did not indicate if the residents were exposed to harmful levels of chemicals or what caused their symptoms.
EPA officials, along with the Justice Department, announced a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/doj-epa-unveil-lawsuit-against-norfolk-southern-over-east-palestine-train-crash">lawsuit</a> on Friday against Norfolk Southern, seeking &#8220;penalties and injunctive relief for the unlawful discharge of pollutants, oil, and hazardous substances&#8221; under the Clean Water Act, as well as &#8220;declaratory judgment on liability for past and future costs&#8221; related to the incident under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.
The complaint from the EPA and Justice Department said materials released from the train cars, such as vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, Ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, isobutylene, and benzene residue, have been &#8220;associated variously&#8221; with impaired fetal development, organ damage, cancers, and other health conditions with a sufficiently high degree of exposure. Yet, state and federal officials have repeatedly claimed that the air and water supplies in East Palestine are safe for residents.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testified before Congress earlier this month regarding the derailment but made no specific promises regarding the firm&#8217;s commitment to handling economic and health fallout into the future.
Ben Zeisloft contributed to this report.

US-TRANSPORT-ACCIDENT-FIRE

Half Of U.S. Investigators Fell Ill While Studying East Palestine Train Derailment: Report

Half Of U.S. Investigators Fell Ill Studying East Palestine Train Derailment: Report

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/environmental-protection-agency-epa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Environmental Protection Agency</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-justice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Justice Department</a> officials announced a lawsuit on Friday against <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/norfolk-southern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norfolk Southern</a>, the company at the center of the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/ohio-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">train derailment</a> and subsequent <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/chemicals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chemical</a> fallout in East Palestine, Ohio.
Local and state authorities previously evacuated all residents within one mile of the February 3 derailment and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/evacuation-ordered-ohio-governor-warns-major-explosion-could-send-shrapnel-a-mile-from-derailed-train" target="_blank" rel="noopener">started</a> a controlled burn of substances on the vehicle. Vinyl chloride, a human carcinogen used to manufacture PVC, was emitted from five train cars in the form of massive plumes of black smoke visible throughout eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Residents have since raised the alarm over health symptoms they experienced after the controlled burn.
The two agencies filed a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1577411/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complaint</a> seeking “penalties and injunctive relief for the unlawful discharge of pollutants, oil, and hazardous substances” under the Clean Water Act, as well as “declaratory judgment on liability for past and future costs” related to the incident under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.
“When a Norfolk Southern train derailed last month in East Palestine, Ohio, it released toxins into the air, soil, and water, endangering the health and safety of people in surrounding communities,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-and-epa-file-complaint-against-norfolk-southern-unlawful-discharge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “With this complaint, the Justice Department and the EPA are acting to pursue justice for the residents of East Palestine and ensure that Norfolk Southern carries the financial burden for the harm it has caused and continues to inflict on the community.”
The complaint from the EPA and Justice Department said materials released from the train cars, such as vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, isobutylene, and benzene residue, have been “associated variously” with impaired fetal development, organ damage, cancers, and other health conditions with a sufficiently high degree of exposure. State and federal officials have repeatedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-is-disgusting-j-d-vance-scrapes-creek-bed-with-stick-after-train-crash-oily-substance-emerges-in-viral-video" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> that the air and water supplies in East Palestine are safe for residents.
Researchers from Texas A&amp;M University and Carnegie Mellon University nevertheless found that nine chemicals present on the train have higher <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/east-palestine-residents-could-see-long-term-health-risks-from-highly-toxic-chemicals-analysis-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concentrations</a> than normal in the town’s air and water supplies, posing the risk of long-term health complications to residents. Texas A&amp;M researcher Ivan Rusyn previously told The Daily Wire that environmental officials have not <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/researcher-worries-government-is-wrongly-declaring-safety-near-ohio-train-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">provided</a> “the full context into which the actual data collected by them could be placed,” particularly with respect to the long-term health risks posed by exposure to the chemicals.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan said that the cleanup from the derailment will take three months. The state of Ohio has also filed a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/entirely-avoidable-ohio-sues-norfolk-southern-for-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> against Norfolk Southern in federal court in an attempt to hold the firm financially liable for the disaster.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testified before Congress earlier this month regarding the derailment but made no specific promises regarding the firm’s commitment to handle economic and health fallout into the future. Another train <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/another-norfolk-southern-train-derails-as-ceo-testifies-to-congress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">controlled</a> by Norfolk Southern derailed in Alabama as Shaw delivered his testimony.
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Federal investigators have preliminarily <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-details-in-east-palestine-train-derailment-revealed-in-fresh-ntsb-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concluded</a> that the derailment was caused by a malfunctioning rail axle. “Surveillance video from a residence showed what appears to be a wheel bearing in the final stage of overheat failure moments before the derailment,” the National Transportation Safety Board said in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/investigators-provide-more-details-on-what-caused-ohio-train-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. “The wheelset from the suspected railcar has been collected as evidence for metallurgical examination.”

Merrick Garland

DOJ, EPA Unveil Lawsuit Against Norfolk Southern Over East Palestine Train Crash

Biden Administration Reveals Lawsuit Against Norfolk Southern Over Ohio Train Crash

Department of Justice

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Yet another Norfolk Southern train derailed on Thursday just as the company&#8217;s CEO was testifying to Congress about the disastrous chemical train crash in Ohio.
The company said about 30 empty cars on a Norfolk Southern train derailed in Alabama as it was traveling from Atlanta to Mississippi.
“Norfolk Southern is responding to a derailment in Piedmont, Alabama,” the company <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/railroads/3892022-norfolk-southern-train-derails-in-alabama-as-ceo-testifies-in-congress/">said</a> in a statement. “There are no reports of injuries and no reports of a hazardous materials release. We are working in close coordination with local officials.”
Calhoun County Sheriff Matthew Wade <a href="https://www.wbrc.com/2023/03/09/train-derails-east-calhoun-county/">said</a> there have been no injuries or property damage. There is also no risk of hazardous material, he said.
The derailment occurred around the same time Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw appeared before the Senate to discuss other recent derailments, including a train carrying noxious chemicals that derailed in East Palestine, Ohio last month.
Officials are still dealing with the fallout and cleanup around the accident site. They decided to do a controlled burn of the chemicals in the train cars, releasing them into the air. One of those chemicals was vinyl chloride, a highly flammable substance used to make PVC and known to cause cancer.
Residents of East Palestine were initially evacuated but later told they could return to their homes. However, many are concerned that the dangerous materials have impacted air and water quality, and some residents have reported negative health effects, including trouble breathing, headaches, and damage to their voices. Animals have also died in the wake of the crash, including thousands of fish.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) peppered Shaw with questions about rail safety, pushing him to commit to lobbying for improved safety regulations, rather than against them.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Sen. Merkley presses the CEO of Norfolk Southern on the company&#39;s safety regulations following the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. <a href="https://t.co/zRa2mfDdWg">https://t.co/zRa2mfDdWg</a> <a href="https://t.co/pjWx25Va1J">pic.twitter.com/pjWx25Va1J</a>
&mdash; The Associated Press (@AP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AP/status/1633902074713784325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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“Will your team lobby for safety improvements rather than against them?” Merkley asked Shaw, who did not answer directly.
“I just really thought when you said ‘turn over a new leaf,’ I thought you were saying you were going to now support safety regulations,” Merkley said. “I’m sorry you can’t tell this crowd here today that would like to hear that, that that is the case.”
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) testified as a witness and suggested the disaster received a slow response because there was little political reward in a swift one.
“I think that our leadership, our media, and our politicians were slow to respond to this crisis in part because a certain segment of our leadership feels like the people of East Palestine are a little out of style,” Vance said. “They have the wrong politics, they’re a little too rural. Maybe a little too white.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Must Watch
Senator @JDVance1&#39;s Full Testimony At Senate Hearing On The Norfolk Southern Derailment In East Palestine, Ohio 
Senator Vance Responding To People Claiming His Legislation Violates The &quot;Free Market&quot;:
&quot;This is an industry that enjoys special subsidies that almost no… <a href="https://t.co/vjIV9xi6n5">pic.twitter.com/vjIV9xi6n5</a>
&mdash; The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColumbiaBugle/status/1633870123957092380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Earlier this week, a Norfolk Southern conductor was killed when a dump truck crashed into a train, raising more questions about the company’s safety climate.
In the aftermath of the accidents, the National Transportation Safety Board this week announced a special investigation into Norfolk Southern.

Senate Environment Committee Hearing On Norfolk Southern Train Derailment

Another Norfolk Southern Train Derails As CEO Testifies To Congress

A train that derailed in Springfield, Ohio, over the weekend belongs to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/norfolk-southern" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Norfolk Southern</a>, the same train company responsible for the toxic train derailment in East Palestine last month.
Local media <a href="https://www.wdtn.com/news/train-derails-in-springfield-roads-close/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the company claimed that 20 cars out of the 212-car train derailed while traveling through the town. The company claimed that no one was hurt and that no toxic chemicals were involved.
“The Clark County Emergency Management Agency is asking residents within 1,000 feet of a train derailment at Ohio 41 near the Prime Ohio Business Park to shelter-in-place out of an abundance of caution,” Clark County said on social media. “We ask that all residents in need of travel to Ohio 41 find alternate routes. Local and state officials are on scene, including the Springfield Fire Rescue Division and the Springfield Police Department.”
&#8220;We&#8217;re also aware of power outages in the area due to downed power lines,&#8221; the statement added. &#8220;We’re working to gather more details and will provide more information as it becomes available.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
DEVELOPING: Video captures the moment 20 Norfolk Southern rail cars derail in Springfield, Ohio. 
⚠️ Reports of power outages in the area — shelter in place ordered. <a href="https://t.co/QLP1OV73bf">pic.twitter.com/QLP1OV73bf</a>
&mdash; Upward News (@UpwardNewsHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/UpwardNewsHQ/status/1632175225629470721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The train derailment in Springfield comes one month after East Palestine, which is on the other side of the state, experienced a catastrophic train derailment that was caused by an overheated wheel bearing on the 23rd of 149 rail cars. Local officials subsequently evacuated all residents within one mile of the accident and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/evacuation-ordered-ohio-governor-warns-major-explosion-could-send-shrapnel-a-mile-from-derailed-train" target="_blank" rel="noopener">started</a> a controlled burn of the vinyl chloride that the train was transporting in an effort to prevent a massive explosion from occurring.
Vinyl chloride, a known human carcinogen used to manufacture PVC, was emitted from five train cars in the form of massive plumes of black smoke visible throughout eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
Researchers from Texas A&amp;M and Carnegie Mellon <a href="https://twitter.com/tamusuperfund/status/1629145826244149250" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Friday that nine of the approximately 50 chemicals that the EPA said were present on the derailed train have higher concentrations than normal in East Palestine. They were especially concerned with above-normal levels of acrolein, a substance with a pungent odor that is “highly toxic” when inhaled, according to a <a href="https://wwwn.cdc.gov/TSP/MMG/MMGDetails.aspx?mmgid=552&amp;toxid=102" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the CDC.
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Other chemicals charted at abnormally high levels included benzene, naphthalene, and vinyl chloride. “If these levels continue, they may be of health concern,” the analysis said.
This is a breaking news story; refresh the page for updates.

Angled view of train tracks with oncoming freight train

Video Captures Another Norfolk Southern Train Derailment In Ohio, Report Says

Republican lawmakers in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/michigan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michigan</a> have sounded the alarm on a massive Ford battery plant proposal – backed by Democratic Gov. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gretchen-whitmer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gretchen Whitmer</a> – that would send $15 million to Norfolk Southern, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pa-governor-accuses-norfolk-southern-of-giving-the-middle-finger-to-residents-after-ohio-train-crash-makes-criminal-referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">railway company</a> at the center of the train derailment and chemical burn in East Palestine, Ohio. 
The Lansing lawmakers are being asked to <a href="https://mibiz.com/sections/economic-development/michigan-wants-750-million-to-prep-site-for-ford-ev-battery-plant-on-top-of-1-billion-incentives-deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allot</a> an additional $750 million for a proposed Ford battery plant in the Great Lakes State, which has already received more than $1 billion in incentives and tax cuts. According to Republican state Rep. James DeSana, as much as $15 million of the new proposal “could be earmarked to help the troubled Norfolk Southern Railway Company expand its footprint in Michigan,” The Midwesterner <a href="https://www.themidwesterner.news/exclusive/rep-dems-could-send-15-million-to-embattled-norfolk-southern-for-ford-china-marshall-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
“It’s always a bad idea to expect taxpayers to foot the bill for corporate welfare projects – but this proposal is particularly egregious,” DeSana said in a <a href="http://www.gophouse.org/posts/rep-desana-whitmer-administration-proposes-handout-for-norfolk-southern-despite-dangerous-track-record" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “Norfolk Southern has had two dangerous train derailments in the Midwest this month – one in Michigan and another that leaked hazardous chemicals that are still causing serious concerns for families in Ohio. Yet Gov. Whitmer is asking us to ignore all that and hand over taxpayer dollars to help Norfolk Southern grow in Michigan.”
Whitmer pushed for the electric vehicle battery plant to come to her state to secure more jobs for Michiganders, but the proposal previously generated controversy since Ford is <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/13/ford-ev-battery-plant-china-catl.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">partnering</a> with a Chinese company on the plant. The request for an additional $750 million, including the $15 million earmark for Norfolk Southern, needs approval from the state’s Democrat-controlled legislature. 
The $15 million to Norfolk Southern would <a href="https://archive.ph/jULhO" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> go toward rail improvements. Whitmer’s office did not respond to a Daily Wire request for comment on the proposal, but the Democratic governor responded to questions about the issue on Thursday, claiming the $15 million isn&#8217;t &#8220;company specific.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ve got to build out the infrastructure around it, from roads to a rail hub to water infrastructure and utilities, and so that&#8217;s what these resources are for,&#8221; Whitmer said, <a href="https://www.gongwer.com/login/?relink=https://www.gongwer.com/news/index.cfm?a=620390103" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Gongwer. &#8220;So it&#8217;s not company specific, it&#8217;s about building out a community that&#8217;s very excited about this big investment.&#8221;
Controversy has rocked the $51 billion Atlanta-based railway company in recent weeks. After the derailment in East Palestine, Norfolk Southern conducted a “controlled burn” of the volatile chemical vinyl chloride to decrease the risk of an explosion.
Soon after the controlled burn, residents of the eastern Ohio town <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/it-was-like-the-devil-was-dancing-and-having-a-party-east-palestine-resident-describes-witnessing-train-derailment-turned-chemical-catastrophe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described</a> physical symptoms they believe resulted from the fire, including headaches, sore throats, and digestive issues — not to mention the lingering taste of chemicals, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/it-was-like-the-devil-was-dancing-and-having-a-party-east-palestine-resident-describes-witnessing-train-derailment-turned-chemical-catastrophe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
After the February 3 derailment in Ohio, another company train <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/02/16/train-derailment-in-michigan-near-detroit/11274008002/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">derailed</a> just outside of Detroit on February 16, although no hazardous materials were on board any of those cars.
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The railway company has taken full responsibility for the disaster, pledging to clean up the environmental mess in East Palestine and hiring experts to test the quality of the town’s water and air, but that’s not enough for some Michigan Republicans. 
“Until a full investigation of the Norfolk Southern derailments in Ohio and Michigan is complete, I can’t believe we’re even discussing appropriating $15,000,000 to expand their operations in Michigan,” state Rep. Andrew Fink (R) told The Midwesterner.
Brandon Drey contributed to this report.
This story has been updated to include a comment from Gov. Whitmer.

Norfolk Southern:Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer Admin’s Proposed Battery Plant Handout Would Send Millions To Railway Company At Center Of Ohio Derailment Disaster

Gretchen Whitmer

Michigan

Politics

Before the 50-car Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, on February 3, the train had experienced a mechanical failure on the route, according to train employees.
The 151-car, 18,000-ton train, which began its journey in Madison, Illinois, reportedly broke down on the evening of February 1, according to train employees. This breakdown occurred just two days before the crash in East Palestine.
“We shouldn&#8217;t be running trains that are 150 car lengths long,” an employee told <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ohio-train-derailment-east-palestine-norfolk-southern-excess-size/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CBS News</a>. “There should be some limitations to the weight and the length of the trains. In this case, had the train not been 18,000 tons, it&#8217;s very likely the effects of the derailment would have been mitigated.”
But a Norfolk Southern spokesperson told CBS News that “the weight distribution of this train was uniform throughout” with a mid-train locomotive “which helps manage the dynamic forces of the train” and reduces mechanical issues.
“Assigning a ‘reputation’ to a train that fluctuates by thousands of tons on a regular basis is inaccurate,” the spokesperson continued, saying a “longer and heavier train” used to take the same route as the derailed train.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a good chance the car that derailed had not been properly inspected for some time,&#8221; said SMART Transportation Division Alt. National Legislative Director Director Jared Cassity, whose union represents many railroad workers. &#8220;You combine that with the added length and tonnage, plus the fact that it had all this hazardous material, and this was predictable. If nothing changes, it will happen again.”
“Two years ago SMART President Jeremy Ferguson warned your publication and anyone that would listen that something like this was going to happen,” a Norfolk Southern employee told <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/88qze4/32-nasty-rail-workers-say-they-knew-the-train-that-derailed-in-east-palestine-was-dangerous?utm_source=motherboard_twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Motherboard</a>. “They’re going to keep happening if regulators continue to allow this business model to ravage our nation’s freight rail system in the pursuit of profit. My fear is that these corporations have so much money and political influence that nothing is going to change.”
Another employee added to Motherboard that the derailed train had been nicknamed “32 Nasty.”
“When I was FRA administrator, I was not happy with the lengths of the trains, and they were 80 or 90 cars long,&#8221; said former administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Sarah Feinberg. &#8220;This train was 50% longer.”
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) <a href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-23-105420.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> in December that Precision Schedule Railroading (PSR), implemented by the railroad industry for cost-efficiency reasons, has catalyzed longer trains and a 28% reduction in staff among the nation&#8217;s seven largest freight railroads, including Norfolk Southern.

Employees Say Derailed Train Had Failed On Route Days Before East Palestine

Department of Transportation

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