愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Ohio sues Norfolk Southern over toxic train derailment

Share

Ohio filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern to make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage caused by a fiery train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month, the state's attorney general said Tuesday.

The federal lawsuit also seeks to force the company to pay for groundwater and soil monitoring in the years ahead and economic losses in the village of East Palestine and surrounding areas, said Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.

鈥淭he fallout from this highly preventable accident is going to reverberate throughout Ohio for many years to come,鈥 Yost said.

No one was hurt in the Feb. 3 derailment, but half of the roughly 5,000 residents of East Palestine had to evacuate for days when responders intentionally burned toxic chemicals in some of the derailed cars to prevent an uncontrolled explosion, leaving residents with lingering health concerns. Government officials say tests over the past month haven't found dangerous levels of chemicals in the air or water in the area.

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw apologized before Congress last week for the impact the derailment has had on the area, but he didn't make specific commitments to pay for long-term health and economic harm.

The railroad has promised more than $20 million so far to help the Ohio community recover while also announcing several voluntary safety upgrades. A message seeking comment on the lawsuit was left with Norfolk Southern.

The lawsuit also asks for the railroad to reimburse first responders and state agencies for the costs of dealing with the disaster.

How much money the state is seeking isn't known yet because the response is ongoing, but Yost made it clear the cost will be enormous. 鈥淭his was an epic disaster. The cleanup is going to be expense,鈥 he said.

Ohio officials met with Norfolk Southern representatives on Monday and talked about several possible ways to help the people in East Palestine, including creating a fund to compensate long-term losses to real estate values and improving the village's water treatment operations, Yost said.

The state attorney general said he was pleased that the railroad has indicated it wants to do the right thing and that the lawsuit will make sure it keeps its promise.

Many in East Palestine remain outraged at the railroad and worried about what will become of the village.

Those fears include concerns about their long-term health, their house values and the economic future for local businesses.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Angela Salvatore had been away from her father's hospital bedside for just over an hour when she says she got a frantic call from a nurse, pleading with her to calm him down.

A veteran Ottawa journalist is firing back against what he says are "entirely false" claims by a former Conservative cabinet minister that he acted as a Russian agent.

Canadian Ryan James Wedding finished in 24th place in the parallel giant slalom at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, but the snowboarder wouldn鈥檛 go on to improve his results in Torino four years later.

The mystery of a 100-year-old letter sent from Manitoba to Ireland is slowly unraveling thanks to the work of one amateur sleuth.

Local Spotlight

A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.