171 replies to this topic

[CNJRoss]

CNBC 8/15/23

 

Norfolk Southern CEO on Ohio derailment: ‘We’re making promises, and we’re keeping promises’

 

KEY POINTS

• Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw told CNBC’s Jim Cramer how the railroad and transportation company is trying to better its safety measures.
• Norfolk Southern fell about 3% on Tuesday.

 

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw told CNBC’s Jim Cramer that safety is a top priority for the railroad and transportation company.

 

“I’m proud of the response in East Palestine, we’re making promises, and we’re keeping promises,” Shaw said, referencing the February train derailment in Ohio that spilled toxic chemicals. “And that said, we’re going to make a safe railroad safer.”

 

SNIP

 

To improve the company’s safety measures, Norfolk Southern hired Atkins Nuclear Secured, a consulting firm with experience in the U.S. Navy’s nuclear programs.

 

“The Navy nuke program is the gold standard of safety in all of industry, and Norfolk Southern will be the gold standard of safety in the rail industry,” Shaw said. “They’re going to be here for two to three years; we’re investing in this.” 

 

 

More here.

[KevinKorell]

WPVI-TV, 6-ABC in Philadelphia, PA,  8/19/23:

 

 

    Pennsylvania senators call on Norfolk Southern Railway to better prepare after Ohio train derailment  

 

 

Pennsylvania Senators Bob Casey and John Fetterman are calling on Norfolk Southern Railway to be better prepared following a massive train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

 

Story

[CNJRoss]

Railway Age, 9/15/23

 

NS Delivering $4.3MM to Upgrade East Palestine Drinking Water System

 

Norfolk Southern (NS) on Sept. 14 reported granting East Palestine, Ohio, $4.299 million to overhaul the municipal drinking water system, as part of a commitment the Class I made after its Feb. 3 train derailment in the village.

 

According to NS, the funding will cover new engineering and carbon filtration systems. It includes the $661,481 already reimbursed to the village for new carbon filters and initial engineering, as well as $3.638 million to fund additional engineering and new filtration technology, and infrastructure. NS said it will “continue conversations with the village to determine if additional work is needed.”

 

In March 2023, NS committed to addressing long-term community concerns on drinking water, health care and home values, and the railroad said this new grant announcement marks a milestone in the process.

 

 

Continue here.  

[CNJRoss]

NSMakingItRight.com 'Community Updates'

 

Norfolk Southern progresses on long-term commitment to protect drinking water

 

Last Updated on September 14, 2023 at 5:34pm

 

Nearly $4.3 million to support upgrades for village drinking water infrastructure

 

EAST PALESTINE, OH, September 14, 2023 – Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) announced Thursday a significant step forward on its long-term commitment to protect East Palestine’s drinking water. Norfolk Southern will grant the Village of East Palestine nearly $4.3 million to overhaul the municipal drinking water system.

 

Upgrades to the municipal system will include new engineering and carbon filtration systems, improving the Village system with state of the art technology. The $4.299 million commitment from Norfolk Southern includes $661,481 already reimbursed to the Village for new carbon filters and initial engineering, as well as $3.638 million to fund additional engineering and new filtration technology, and infrastructure. Norfolk Southern will continue conversations with the Village to determine if additional work is needed.

 

“We made a commitment to invest in the protection of East Palestine’s drinking water for the long term, and we are making significant strides toward fulfilling that,” said Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan H. Shaw. “We worked with community leaders and their outside experts to develop the best path forward. Thanks to their feedback, these infrastructure upgrades will help ensure clean drinking water remains accessible for East Palestine’s current and future generations.”

 

In March 2023, Norfolk Southern committed to addressing long-term community concerns on drinking water, healthcare, and home values and this announcement marks a critical milestone in the process.

 

“This technology will drastically improve water quality in the Village,” said East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway. “Our current system, like other municipal systems across the country, is focused on eliminating heavy metals like lead, but these upgrades go deeper and broader, using the leading methods for ensuring the quality of drinking water.”

 

Municipal water continues to be sampled and monitored by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, along with a team of independent scientists. Test results continue to show no water quality concerns as a result of the derailment and these upgrades will help protect against future water quality concerns. Residents can request private well testing by an independent consultant by calling 330-849-3919.

 

To date, Norfolk Southern has committed $74.3 million to East Palestine and the surrounding communities. Learn more at: NSMakingitRight.com. 

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[CNJRoss]

Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, 9/19/23

 

Norfolk Southern sets up promised fund to compensate homeowners who lost value after derailment

 

The payments would cover homeowners in area that includes some Pennsylvania residents in Beaver County.

 

WASHINGTON — Norfolk Southern on Monday set up its promised fund to compensate homeowners in and around East Palestine who see their property values decline as a result of February’s derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals.

 

The company in May agreed to pay the difference between the amount property owners receive for selling their homes now compared with what their houses were worth before dozens of cars, many of them carrying toxic chemicals such as vinyl chloride, went off the tracks just over the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. The agreement covers those living within a 5-mile radius of the derailment, which includes some Pennsylvania residents in Beaver County.

 

A temporary program will help homeowners who sold the properties after Feb. 3 while the company develops requirements for a longer-term program.

 

 

Continue  here.  

 

[CNJRoss]

Trains News Wire

 

White House issues executive order on Norfolk Southern’s response to East Palestine, Ohio, wreck

 

By Bill Stephens | September 21, 2023

 

Several federal agencies were directed to provide reports and continue monitoring cleanup progress in the wake of the Feb. 3 derailment that spilled hazardous materials

 

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden on Wednesday ordered federal agencies to continue their response to the Feb. 3 toxic derailment of a Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, and to ensure that the railroad covers all cleanup costs.

 

“As part of his commitment to the people of East Palestine, President Biden is today issuing an Executive Order to ensure that Norfolk Southern continues to be held accountable for this disaster, to address any of the disaster’s long-term effects, and to ensure federal assistance is available to affected communities should needs develop that are not met by Norfolk Southern,” the White House said.

 

 

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[CNJRoss]

WKBN-TV Youngstown, OH, 10/17/23

Norfolk Southern opposes escape of liability by other entities in derailment case

 

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Attorneys for Norfolk Southern are opposing requests by three entities to escape any liability in the East Palestine train derailment class action lawsuit.

 

In motions filed Monday in the U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio before U.S. Judge Benita Y. Pearson, the railroad company said Trinity Industries, OxyVinyls and GATX Corp. and General Marks Company are all partly responsible for damages caused by the Feb. 3 derailment of a Norfolk Southern in East Palestine carrying chemicals.

 

SNIP

 

The three companies filed motions Sept. 19 asking that the complaints against them be dismissed.

 

More here.  

[KevinKorell]

WKBN-TV,  CBS-27 in Youngstown, OH, 10/26/23:
 

 

    Train derailment site cleanup ‘almost finished,’ officials say 

 

 

Eight months and 23 days after smoldering cars were scattered along the tracks at the derailment site of the Norfolk Southern train, the area is now almost clean.

 

Read this.

[CNJRoss]

Associated Press, 12/6/23

 

Norfolk Southern to end relocation aid right after one-year anniversary of its fiery Ohio derailment

 

Norfolk Southern railroad plans to stop paying relocation aid to people displaced by last February’s fiery derailment in eastern Ohio right after the one-year anniversary of the crash.

 

Railroad officials announced the change this week as they reiterated their long-term commitment to helping the town of East Palestine, Ohio, and the surrounding area near the Pennsylvania border recover. Norfolk Southern has committed more than $103 million in aid to the area, including nearly $21 million paid out directly to residents whose lives were upended by the derailment.

 

SNIP

 

“This program was always a temporary one for those residents who chose to relocate during the site remediation process,” spokesman Tom Crosson said.

 

 

The move to end relocation aid, which will take effect Feb. 9, had been rumored for months. But the decision still angered some residents like Jami Wallace, who posted online “Thank you NS for flipping another bird at residents.”

 

 

More here.

[KevinKorell]

Yourerie.com    12/3/23:
 

 

     Shapiro administration still testing environment near East Palestine Train derailment

 

 

More than nine months after the train derailment in East Palestine, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said this week his administration is still conducting precautionary tests of the environment in western Pennsylvania near the crash.

 

Entire story