The settlement includes:
- $235 million for cleanup efforts
- a $15 million penalty for alleged violations of the Clean Water Act
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$25 million for a 20-year community health program including long-term health monitoring
- $15 million for 10 years of groundwater and surface water monitoring
- $15 million for a private drinking water monitoring fund.
Norfolk Southern will also be required to improve the safety of trains that transport hazardous materials, including by installing devices to detect overheated wheel bearings in time to prevent derailments.
EPA Administrator Michael Regan touted the settlement as beneficial to the East Palestine community.
“Because of this settlement, residents and first responders will have greater access to health services, trains will be safer, and waterways will be cleaner,” Regan said in a written statement.
Norfolk Southern’s President and CEO Alan Shaw said in a written statement that he was “pleased we were able to reach a timely resolution.”
“We will continue keeping our promises and are invested in the community’s future for the long-haul,” Shaw added.
The derailment became a political flashpoint, with Republicans saying the Biden administration did not do enough and criticizing President Biden for not traveling to the area in the immediate aftermath.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
