$310 Million Settlement: Biden Administration and Norfolk Southern Resolve Ohio Train Derailment – Must Know!

 Biden Administration and Norfolk Southern Resolve Ohio Train Derailment

$310 Million Agreement Reached for Ohio Train Derailment Cleanup and Safety Improvements

According to The Hill, the Biden administration has reached a settlement of approximately $310 million with Norfolk Southern following a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio last year. The incident led to a chemical spill causing environmental damage and raising health concerns in the area. As part of the settlement $235 million is allocated for cleanup efforts and a $15 million fine is imposed for violating the Clean Water Act although Norfolk Southern does not admit any wrongdoing. The agreement also includes provisions for a 20-year health program worth $25 million 10 years of groundwater and surface water monitoring costing $15 million and another $15 million for a fund to test private drinking water. Additionally, Norfolk Southern must install devices on trains to detect overheated wheel bearings to prevent future derailments. The settlement requires judicial approval before it becomes final. Moreover, the company is set to invest over $200 million in rail safety and more than $1 billion to address the contamination caused by the derailment. This federal settlement is separate from a recently approved $600 million class action settlement for residents impacted by the derailment.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan praised the settlement stating it would benefit the East Palestine community by providing greater access to health services ensuring safer trains and cleaner waterways. Norfolk Southern’s President and CEO Alan Shaw expressed satisfaction with the resolution emphasizing the company’s commitment to the community’s future. The train derailment became a contentious political issue. Republicans criticized the Biden administration for not doing enough and for President Biden not visiting the area immediately after the incident. Concerns were also raised by a former EPA contractor about the delay in deploying a plan to detect unusual chemical or radiological signals in the air.

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$310 Million Settlement: Biden Administration and Norfolk Southern Resolve Ohio Train Derailment – Must Know! (PHOTO: CNBC)

EPA‘s Swift Response to Ohio Train Derailment

Furthermore, the Biden administration has defended its response stating that the EPA began monitoring the environmental impacts of the train derailment immediately collecting thousands of air, water, and soil samples. The EPA reported that no chemicals of concern have been found in the air since the evacuation order was lifted days after the derailment. The incident has spurred bipartisan efforts to pass a rail safety bill though some Republicans have resisted the measure. The derailed train was carrying chemicals including vinyl chloride used in making plastic and linked to cancers with long-term exposure.

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