EPA official, Norfolk Southern CEO to testify in Senate's Ohio train derailment hearing
The Senate will hold a hearing Thursday on the train derailment last month in East Palestine, Ohio, in which the CEO of the railway, Norfolk Southern, is expected to apologize for the accident that sent toxic chemicals into the environment along the state's border with Pennsylvania.
The hearing is set to begin at 10 a.m. before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw, in addition to apologizing, will also pledge the railway "won't be finished" with the environmental cleanup and other related issues such as economic losses "until we make it right," according to prepared testimony obtained by Politico.
About 38 of the train's roughly 158 freight cars went off the tracks Feb. 3, including some holding such toxic chemicals as vinyl chloride. The train smoldered for days and continued to leak chemicals until at least some were siphoned off and ignited to avoid an explosion – sending a plume of chemicals into the air.
Shaw is also expected to detail $20 million in financial support the company has so far provided for the community in “reimbursements and investments, the political news outlet also reports.
Norfolk Southern earlier this week vowed several safety improvements including more "detectors" along tracks to better spot overheated train wheels and bearings, which appeared to have caused or at least contributed to the derailment.
Senators are expected to address whether such measure and others also proposed by the rail industry this week will be enough.
State and federal EPA officials are also set to testify including EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore.