More than two months since a Norfolk Southern train derailed and spilled 1.6 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the East Palestine community, the rail company’s CEO will testify before an Ohio Senate rail safety panel Tuesday and outline the circumstances around the fiery incident.
Alan Shaw has promised millions of dollars to help the Ohio-Pennsylvania border community recover, but also faces a lawsuit from Ohio’s Attorney General Dave Yost over costs for the toxic chemical spill clean-up and environmental damage.
The lawsuit seeks to hold Norfolk Southern liable for all financial damages resulting from “the release of over one million gallons of hazardous materials” and other harmful pollutants into Ohio’s air, water, and soil.
WATCH: Massive Inferno and Threat of a “Catastrophic” Explosion Follow the Initial 50-car East Palestine Derailment:
The federal government has also sued the railroad.
AP reports Shaw previously testified before the Pennsylvania legislature as well as Congress over the derailment, but now faces Ohio lawmakers, who recently passed a state transportation budget that would impose new rail safety measures on Norfolk Southern and other railroads traveling through their state.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Michael Regan has already said he expects the clean-up in East Palestine to take three months, as Breitbart News reported.
The lack of direct answers about the matter in general and the rail industry in particular has since been noted elsewhere.
WATCH: J. D. Vance Says Rail Industry Is “In Bed with Big Government”
U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public WorksAs Breitbart News reported, a Norfolk Southern train derailed and spilled 1.6 million pounds of toxic chemicals into the East Palestine affecting its 4,700 residents on February 3. Among the substances were ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, ethylhexyl acrylate and isobutylene.
More than 2,000 people were subsequently evacuated due to health concerns but have since been allowed to return.
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