EPA orders Norfolk Southern to clean up toxic derailment
CTV
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered Norfolk Southern on Tuesday to pay for the cleanup of the East Palestine, Ohio train wreck and chemical release.
Speaking to reporters near the derailment site, Norfolk Southern's CEO promised the company would do what's necessary to ensure the long-term health of the community and become a "safer railroad."
EPA used its authority under the federal Superfund law to order Norfolk Southern to take all available measures to clean up contaminated air and water, and also said the company would be required to reimburse the federal government for a new program to provide cleaning services for impacted residents and businesses.
"In no way, shape or form will Norfolk Southern get off the hook for the mess they created," EPA Administrator Michael Regan vowed at a news conference in East Palestine. "I know this order cannot undue the nightmare that families in this town have been living with, but it will begin to deliver much-needed justice for the pain that Norfolk Southern has caused."
He warned that if Norfolk Southern fails to comply, the agency will perform the work itself and seek triple damages from the company.
EPA planned to release more details on the cleanup service for residents and businesses, which it said would "provide an additional layer of reassurance."
The agency said its order marked the end of the "emergency" phase of the Feb. 3 derailment and the beginning of long-term remediation phase in the East Palestine area.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw reiterated promises to restore the site and invest in the community.
