Railway CEO Declines to Commit to Pay for Long-Term Health Testing for Ohio Residents After Derailment

Alan Shaw, the CEO of Norfolk Southern, made an ambiguous commitment Thursday to do “what’s right” East Palestine residents in Ohio are affected by the release of toxic chemicals into their environment last month after one his trains was derailed.

“We’re committed to doing what’s right for the folks of East Palestine and the community,” Shaw assured Senator Tom Carper (D.Del.) At a hearing of Environment and Public Works Committee that was dedicated to the incident.

“I told my team, ‘We are going to do more than less with the environmental cleanup, and we’re going to do more than less with the citizens of East Palestine,'” Shaw added.

Shaw was not able to answer the question directly when Carper asked him, but he reiterated that he would pay for long-term health testing of East Palestine residents. “committed to doing what’s right.”

“We’re going to be there today, tomorrow, a year from now, five years from now, 10 years from now,” He added.

These responses were not satisfactory to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. He raised the issue once more and demanded: “What’s right is to cover [East Palestine residents’] health care needs. Will you do that?”

Shaw however reiterated that Norfolk Southern would be there for the East Palestinian citizens, adding, “Everything is on the table.”

Adverse Health Reactions

After the chemical spill, members of the East Palestine community reported experiencing a variety of adverse health reactions—including nausea, headaches, rashes, burning sensations, and difficulty breathing—despite reassurances from state and federal authorities that the air and public water were safe.

“They gave me a breathing machine,” Melissa Blake, a resident of the area, reported to NBC News that she had received treatment for cancer last month. Bronchitis.

“They put me on oxygen. They gave me three types of steroids.”

Sens. J.D. Vance (R.Ohio), and Sherrod (D.Ohio), have started pushing for a Program for health monitoring To track any adverse health effects that may result from chemical exposure.

Brown spoke at the Thursday hearing and stated that his constituents wanted Norfolk Southern’s atonement by paying for it. “every cent” Included in the cleanup “every water test, every hotel room, every bottle of water, every hospital bill if an Ohioan comes down sick because of these contaminants next week, next year, for the next 10 years.”

“We know this company can afford it,” He added.

Shaw did not explicitly promise to pay for the medical expenses of residents, however. Prepared remarksHe noted that Norfolk Southern had already pledged financial support to the East Palestine community during its recovery.

“To date, we have committed to reimbursements and investments of more than $20 million in total, including by helping more than 4,200 families through our Family Assistance Center located in East Palestine,” He stated. “Supporting first responders has been a particular area of focus, and our contributions include more than $3 million to assist the East Palestine Fire Department.”

These commitments are only an addition. “down payment,” He continued: “I’ve met with community leaders, business owners, school officials, clergy, and others to begin to identify ways we can invest in the future prosperity of East Palestine and support the long-term needs of its people. We will continue to invest in East Palestine for as long as it takes to help the community recover and thrive.”