EPA orders Norfolk Southern to pay for train crash clean-up
“The Norfolk Southern train derailment has upended the lives of East Palestine households, and EPA’s order will guarantee the corporate is held accountable for jeopardizing the well being and security of this group,” Regan stated in an announcement. “Let me be clear: Norfolk Southern will pay for cleansing up the mess they created and for the trauma they’ve inflicted on this group.”
The corporate had already agreed to pay for all clean-up prices, however the order, issued underneath Regan’s authority underneath the federal Superfund regulation, formally places Norfolk Southern on the hook. It’s going to even have to pay for air monitoring and cleansing providers provided by EPA within the weeks because the crash, which launched varied hazardous chemical substances that had been carried on the train whereas a number of tankers of chemical substances had been burned off to stop an explosion.
The order marks a transition at EPA from emergency response to long-term remediation, the company stated. That can embrace the creation of a “unified command construction” to coordinate the response between varied federal, state and native companies, in addition to Norfolk Southern.
“As we transition from emergency response, EPA will proceed to coordinate intently with our native, state, and federal companions by way of a whole-of-government strategy to help the East Palestine group throughout the remediation part,” Regan stated. “To the folks of East Palestine, EPA stands with you now and for so long as it could take.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday stated he has made a legal referral to his appearing lawyer common, Michelle Henry. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine additionally vowed that Ohio Legal professional Common David Yost “will definitely take the suitable motion.”
