EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (WKBN) — On Monday, Norfolk Southern gave an update on its support to the village of East Palestine following CEO Alan Shaw’s visit on Saturday.
Over the weekend, Norfolk Southern launched a website for members of the East Palestine community and the public, providing updates on environmental cleanup, available services at the assistance center and answers to commonly asked questions.
In terms of environmental remediation, the company says it’s evacuated 15,000 pounds and 1.1 million gallons of water from the derailment site to be “transported to landfills and disposal facilities that are designed to accept it safely in accordance with state and federal regulations.”
Norfolk Southern says it’s also installed pumps to reroute Sulphur Run around the derailment site, damming the affected portion of the creek and treating the water with carbon filters. The rail cars will remain at the site until the National Transportation Safety Board finishes its investigation, after which they’ll be scrapped.
Norfolk Southern says in a release that the company has spent more than $5.6 million on its mitigation efforts, which include the following:
- $3.4 million in direct financial assistance to families
- $1 million community assistance fund
- $1 million budget for the new community liaison
- $220,000 reimbursement to fund new equipment for first responders
The company also announced that one of their railroaders, who lives in East Palestine, will act as the new community liaison. That person will work directly with CEO Alan Shaw to address community concerns.
If you are looking for any assistance from the railroad, the family assistance center remains open in New Waterford.
