Norfolk Southern CEO apologizes for East Palestine derailment

Norfolk Southern’s CEO has reiterated his apology for the derailment of train cars carrying hazardous chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, but opposes proposals to mandate train crews of at least two people.

CEO Alan Shaw testified Tuesday before an Ohio Senate railroad safety panel, where he was faced with varying questions about the derailment and subsequent controlled chemical burn that rocked the small village in February.

“I am deeply sorry for the impact this derailment has had on the people of the region. I am determined to make it right,” Shaw told the panel. “We are making progress every day as we clean the site safely, thoroughly and urgently.”

Shaw said Norfolk Southern has committed more than $30 million in funds to support the residents of eastern Palestine, first responders and community organizations, including $13 million in aid to more than 7,600 families.

However, the company also faces a lawsuit from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost for costs associated with cleaning up the toxic chemical and environmental damage.

The federal government has also sued the railroad for environmental damage caused by the Feb. 3 derailment.

Shaw said he supports federal efforts to strengthen railroad safety legislation, led by Ohio’s U.S. senators and representatives.

These measures include provisions to increase inspection oversight for railways, further investment in roadside detectors and stricter standards for road tankers.

However, when pushed for a two-man mandate for all trains, Shaw argued that there is no data to support two-man crews helping to prevent derailments.

‘We are data-driven and we will follow the science. And at this point, I have not seen any data directly linking crew size to derailments,” he told the Ohio panel.

The train that derailed in eastern Palestine was carrying three crew members, including a trainee.

Yet crew-sized mandates have become a contentious topic after railroad workers’ unions claimed widespread job losses in the industry over the past six years have made railroads riskier by increasing the frequency of one-man shifts.

They say workers are spread too thin after nearly a third of all railroad jobs have been eliminated and train crews in particular are suffering from fatigue as they are available 24/7.

A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 6, due to a controlled burning of part of the derailed Norfolk Southern trains carrying hazardous chemicals

Shaw testified Tuesday before an Ohio Senate railroad safety panel, where he was faced with varying questions about the derailment in eastern Palestine

Lawmakers in Ohio recently passed a two-man crew mandate for trains running across the state, though the legality of the rule remains under debate.

The Ohio Railroad Association, a trade group, has argued that several of the measures are prevented by federal law. Lawmakers say the General Assembly can take statewide precautions to help protect voters.

Bipartisan legislation introduced in Congress after the derailment requires train crews to continue to have two people.

The Federal Railroad Administration is also considering a rule requiring a crew of two in most cases.

No one was injured in the derailment in eastern Palestine, but half of eastern Palestine’s nearly 5,000 residents were evacuated for days.

Parts of a freight train in Norfolk Southern burn after the derailment. Chemicals from the derailed cars and fire-fighting foam seeped into creeks and rivers near the village

A view of the scene on Feb. 24, as clean-ups continue at the site of a freight train derailment in Norfolk Southern in East Palestine, Ohio

Many say they still suffer from health problems such as skin rashes, headaches and difficulty breathing.

Chemicals from the derailed cars and firefighting foam seeped into creeks and rivers near the village, some of which eventually drained into the Ohio River.

To date, more than 9 million gallons of wastewater has been removed from the site and shipped to hazardous waste storage sites in Ohio and other states, according to state officials.

Government officials say tests have found no dangerous levels of chemicals in the air or public drinking water in the area, but many residents remain concerned about their long-term health.