WASHINGTON (AP) — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sent a letter to the CEO of Norfolk Southern Sunday, warning that the freight railroad must “show unequivocal support for the people” of East Palestine, Ohio and surrounding areas after what was a massive train. the derailment resulted in the release of chemicals and residents expressed concern for their health.
“Norfolk Southern must live up to its commitment to make residents whole — and it must also live up to its obligation to do whatever it takes to not put communities like East Palestine at risk,” Buttigieg wrote. “This is the right time for Norfolk Southern to take a leadership position in the rail industry, moving to a position focused on supporting, not opposing, efforts to raise the standard for U.S. rail safety regulations.”
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Friday that chemicals that leaked into the Ohio River no longer pose a risk, even as people in the community say they have constant headaches and sore eyes. The state plans to open a medical clinic in the village of 4,700 people to screen for their symptoms, despite repeated claims that air and water tests showed no signs of contamination.
However, uncertainty remains over the aftermath of a derailment that occurred about two weeks ago.
Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Peter DeCarlo, a professor of environmental health and engineering at Johns Hopkins University, told ABC News on Sunday that more testing is needed to determine what chemicals are present.
“We don’t have the information we need to figure out what chemicals may be present,” DeCarlo said. “We know it started as vinyl chloride, but as soon as you burn, all bets are off. There are many chemical byproducts that can come out of a combustion process like this.”
Asked if he would return to East Palestine if he was already living there, DeCarlo said: “I have two children. I would not.”
Norfolk Southern Chief Executive Alan Shaw released a statement Saturday saying he is “returning to eastern Palestine today to meet with local leaders, first responders and a group of Norfolk Southern employees who live in the area.”
“In every conversation today, I’ve said how deeply sorry I am for what happened to their home,” Shaw said. The Atlanta-based company has created an update website, NSMakingItRight.com.
Sunday’s letter from the transportation secretary was seen as a stark warning to Norfolk Southern, saying, “It is imperative that your company be unequivocal and forthright in its commitment to looking after residents, now and in the future.”
Buttigieg said the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the derailment and that the Federal Railroad Administration is also looking into whether safety violations occurred and will hold Norfolk Southern accountable if violations occurred.
The Environmental Protection Agency said the company must document the release of hazardous contaminants and submit cleanup measures.
But Buttigieg also said that Norfolk Southern and other rail companies “have spent millions of dollars courting and lobbying members of Congress to oppose common-sense safety regulations, stopping some entirely and curtailing others.” . He said the effort undermined rules on braking requirements and delayed the phasing in of more durable carriages for the transport of hazardous materials to 2029 instead of the “originally planned date of 2025”.
The transportation secretary said the results of the investigation are not yet known, but “we know that these steps that Norfolk Southern and its colleagues lobbied against were designed to improve rail safety and help protect Americans.”
I’m a passionate and motivated journalist with a focus on world news. My experience spans across various media outlets, including Buna Times where I serve as an author. Over the years, I have become well-versed in researching and reporting on global topics, ranging from international politics to current events.