Sen. Casey visits residents in Darlington Township impacted by train derailment

IN NORFOLK. SOUTHERN HAS AGREED TO PAY RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES FOLLOWING THE DERAILMENT. BUT SENATOR BOB CASEY SAYS THE RAIL COMPANY NEEDS TO DO EVEN MORE. SENATOR BOB CASEY WITH FIRST RESPONDERS AT THE DARLINGTON TOWNSHIP VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT WILL RESPOND TO THE TOXIC CHEMICAL LEAK AND CONTROL BURN AFTER THE TRAIN DERAILMENT. CASEY SAYS NORFOLK SOUTHERN HAS NOT SHOWN THE APPROPRIATE SENSE OF URGENCY FOLLOWING THE DISASTER. NORFOLK SOUTHERN HAS TO DO A LOT MORE ADDRESSING CONTAMINATED SOIL, SUFFICIENT WATER AND AIR QUALITY TESTING. FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF VINYL CHLORIDE, RESPONDING TO URGENT INQUIRIES BY ELECTED LEADERS, THESE ARE AREAS CASEY IS MOST CRITICAL OF. NORFOLK SOUTHERN. IT WAS NOT THE THE RESPONSE THAT’S COMMENSURATE WITH THE GRAVITY OF WHAT WE’VE SEEN HERE. I’D LIKE TO SEE FUNDING FOR THAT TESTING NOT NOT GET PUT ON THE RESIDENTS, THOUGH. NORFOLK SOUTHERN DOESN’T SEEM TO WANT TO STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF IT. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS, I GUESS, GOING FORWARD. GOVERNOR JOSH SHAPIRO ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT NORFOLK SOUTHERN HAS AGREED TO PAY MORE THAN $7 MILLION TO PENNSYLVANIA FIRST RESPONDERS. RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. BUT CASEY SAYS THE RAIL COMPANY NEEDS TO SHOW ACCOUNTABILITY BY SUPPORTING A CONGRESSIONAL BILL CALLED THE RAIL SAFETY ACT. CASEY IS A CO-SPONSOR OF THE BILL, WHICH ADDRESSES SAFETY INSPECTION AND HEAVY FINES. SUPPORT OUR BILL. STAND UP AND SUPPORT OUR BILL INSTEAD OF LETTING THOSE -- LOBBYISTS, THOSE RAIL LOBBYISTS THAT HAVE BEEN STOP RAIL LEGISLATION FOR FOUR DECADES IN WASHINGTON AND NORFOLK SOUTHERN AND ALL THE RAIL COMPANIES SHOULD STAND UP TODAY AND SAY THEY SUPPORT OUR BILL TONIGHT, NORFOLK SOUTHERN IS ALREADY THE TARGET OF MULTIPLE CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS, WITH ANOTHER ONE FILED TODAY IN FEDERAL COURT. NORFOLK SOUTHERN WILL NOT COMMENT ON PENDING LITIGATIO

Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey visited residents of Beaver County affected by the East Palestine train derailment.The Ohio derailment was right across the state line.Casey said there's still a lot of work to be done, both at the government level and by Norfolk Southern."What’s most important right now is what we do today. There’s still real concerns about soil and water and basic safety. We’ve got to continue to push every level of government to do their part, but also make sure that Norfolk Southern is held accountable here,” Casey said. The senator laid heavy criticism on the Norfolk Southern for a poor response to the derailment."It is not commensurate with the gravity of what we've seen here," he said. "Norfolk Southern has to do a lot more."Casey says Norfolk Southern displayed a poor tactical response to the train derailment and a poor communications response.Residents remained concerned about their drinking water and soil contamination. Their long-term health is at question as well as livestock and produce as a primary source of income.Meanwhile, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday that Norfolk Southern has pledged several million dollars to cover the cost of the response and recovery in Pennsylvania after last month’s derailment.The announcement comes after Shapiro met with Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw in Harrisburg. In the meeting, the Shapiro administration said the governor demanded Norfolk Southern cover the entirety of the costs incurred by state agencies and local fire departments that responded to the derailment, as well as set up a $1 million community relief fund for businesses and residents in Beaver and Lawrence counties who lost revenue as a result of the incident.“Norfolk Southern’s train derailment has hurt communities in Western Pennsylvania, and to make matters worse, the company’s disregard for crisis management best practices injected unnecessary risk into the situation and created confusion for residents and first responders,” Shapiro said in a statement. “Norfolk Southern must do better – and the entire cost of this derailment and its impact on the Commonwealth must be picked up by them, not the people of Pennsylvania."

Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey visited residents of Beaver County affected by the East Palestine train derailment.

The Ohio derailment was right across the state line.

Casey said there's still a lot of work to be done, both at the government level and by Norfolk Southern.

"What’s most important right now is what we do today. There’s still real concerns about soil and water and basic safety. We’ve got to continue to push every level of government to do their part, but also make sure that Norfolk Southern is held accountable here,” Casey said.

The senator laid heavy criticism on the Norfolk Southern for a poor response to the derailment.

"It is not commensurate with the gravity of what we've seen here," he said. "Norfolk Southern has to do a lot more."

Casey says Norfolk Southern displayed a poor tactical response to the train derailment and a poor communications response.

Residents remained concerned about their drinking water and soil contamination. Their long-term health is at question as well as livestock and produce as a primary source of income.

Meanwhile, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday that Norfolk Southern has pledged several million dollars to cover the cost of the response and recovery in Pennsylvania after last month’s derailment.

The announcement comes after Shapiro met with Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw in Harrisburg. In the meeting, the Shapiro administration said the governor demanded Norfolk Southern cover the entirety of the costs incurred by state agencies and local fire departments that responded to the derailment, as well as set up a $1 million community relief fund for businesses and residents in Beaver and Lawrence counties who lost revenue as a result of the incident.

“Norfolk Southern’s train derailment has hurt communities in Western Pennsylvania, and to make matters worse, the company’s disregard for crisis management best practices injected unnecessary risk into the situation and created confusion for residents and first responders,” Shapiro said in a statement. “Norfolk Southern must do better – and the entire cost of this derailment and its impact on the Commonwealth must be picked up by them, not the people of Pennsylvania."

Sen. Casey visits residents in Darlington Township impacted by train derailment

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