Key takeaways from the Senate hearing on the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment
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Updated: 1:06 PM EST Mar 9, 2023
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Well, good morning one and all. I think I've had *** chance to welcome individually and personally, and we appreciate very much your not on your presence here but your willingness to share your thoughts and ideas with, with us as we try to make right, *** terrible, terrible wrong. We're gonna turn our first witness and Alan Shaw, appreciate the time you spend with me on the phone earlier this week. And Mr Shaw, you may begin your testimony at this time. Thank you. Welcome. Good morning, Chairman Carper, ranking member, capital and distinguished members of the committee. I appreciate the opportunity to testify before you today. My name is Alan Shaw and I've been president and ceo of Norfolk Southern since May of 2022. I want to begin today by expressing how deeply sorry I am for the impact this derailment has had on the residents of East Palestine and the surrounding communities. I've been to East Palestine many times over the past month, I've talked with the leaders, the business owners, the school officials, clergy and others throughout the community. They've shared their stories and their concerns about the health of their families and the future of the community they love. I am determined to make this right. Norfolk Southern will clean the site safely thoroughly and with urgency, you have my personal commitment, Norfolk Southern will get the job done and help East Palestine thrive at the direction of and in collaboration with the U S E P *** state and local agencies. We are developing and implementing near and longer term cleanup activities, air and water monitoring have been in place continuously since the accident and to date, it consistently indicated that the air is safe to breathe and the water is safe to drink. In terms of community support. We have announced direct investments of over $21 million. We have provided support to more than 4400 families through Norfolk Southern's Family Assistance Center. We established *** $1 million dollar fund available immediately to community leaders who will identify where donations can do the most good for East Palestine. We committed $7.5 million dollars to Pennsylvania for *** community relief fund and we are reimbursing Pennsylvania emergency responders and health and environmental agencies for costs related to the derailment. All of this is just *** down payment. We recently signed *** lease for *** more permanent space in East Palestine. I asked one of our frontline railroaders who lives in East Palestine to take on *** new role as *** full time liaison reporting directly to my office. He is advocating for the community in my office and overseeing distribution of another $1 million. We will be in the community for as long as it takes to be clear, there are no strings attached to our assistance. If residents have *** concern, we want them to come talk to us. Our website N S making it right dot com provides the latest information and details on how to reach us. We have been cooperating fully with the NTSB S investigation into the cause of the derailment. The preliminary report found that the Norfolk Southern crew was operating the train below the speed limit and in an approved manner. Yet it is clear that safety mechanisms in place were not enough as the NTSB continues its work. We are not waiting to act shortly after the derailment. I instructed my team to look at steps we could take to improve safety immediately and we have announced *** number of initiatives to do just that these steps. These steps are just the start and we look forward to working with policymakers and industry on others. We're also going to make our safety culture the best in the industry. The events of the last month are not who we are as *** company. When I began my tenure as CEO 10 months ago, I spent hours and crew rooms all over our 22 state network, thanking our frontline railroaders and asking them for their advice. They are proud of the important work they do for the US economy and take safety seriously. I'm gonna make sure they've got the right training, the right processes, the right equipment and the right technology. You have my commitment on that since becoming CEO I have dedicated our company to charting *** new course in the industry. I intend to continue working with industry, stakeholders including railcar owners, lessors, shippers and other railroads to make industry wide safety improvements. It's gonna take all of us and Norfolk Southern is eager to lead that effort Today. I'm proud to represent more than 19,700 Norfolk Southern employees who work every day to offer *** safe and efficient means of transporting goods to businesses and families across our great country. When Norfolk Southern is successful, it is because our craft railroaders are getting the job done for our customers and the U S economy. Thank you again for the opportunity to appear before you today. I look forward to your questions, Mr Shaw. Thanks very much for joining us today. Thank you for, for that statement again, for the time you spent with me on, on the phone recently.
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Key takeaways from the Senate hearing on the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment
A powerful Senate panel held a hearing Thursday on the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle call for answers and action in the wake of the disaster.The hearing took place after the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train on February 3 that released toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil of East Palestine. The Senate Environment and Public Works committee heard from witnesses, including Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw. Here are key takeaways from the hearing:Norfolk Southern CEO apologizes to communities impacted by the derailment Shaw began his testimony with an apology to the individuals and communities hurt by the derailment and said that Norfolk Southern will work to help East Palestine recover."I want to begin today by expressing how deeply sorry I am for the impact this derailment has had on the residents of East Palestine and the surrounding communities," he said. "I am determined to make this right. Norfolk Southern will clean the site safely, thoroughly and with urgency. You have my personal commitment. Norfolk Southern will get the job done and help East Palestine thrive."Shaw outlined a number of financial commitments as part of that effort. "In terms of community support, we have announced direct investments of over $21 million," he said, adding, "We committed $7.5 million to Pennsylvania for a community relief fund." The derailment occurred near the state line between Ohio and Pennsylvania."All of this is just a down payment," he said. "We will be in the community for as long as it takes."Ohio and Pennsylvania senators say affected individuals are worried and fearful The hearing featured several senators as witnesses: Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and J.D. Vance, a Republican, and Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat. They spoke about what they are hearing from constituents in communities affected by fallout from the incident and talked about what they hope to see happen going forward.Video below: Pete Buttigieg discusses Norfolk Southern ahead of CEO's testimonyBrown said that during visits to East Palestine he has talked to residents and, "heard their fears for what this means for their town and fears for the future.""Now these Ohioans are worried about whether their water is safe to drink, the air is safe to breathe, whether their kids will get sick, whether their crops are contaminated, whether they'll still be able to do business and attract investment to the community," he said.Casey, who noted the derailment "occurred just literally feet away from the Pennsylvania border," said he has heard from farmers who are very concerned. "They want help from the Department of Agriculture. They want certainty that their crops and their livestock are safe and free from contamination and that the food supply and their livelihoods are safe," he said.Vance said in his testimony, "I think the most important message to the people of East Palestine is that we will not forget about them in the months and years to come, and I think this committee hearing reinforces that message."A spotlight on rail safety legislation In the wake of the East Palestine crash, a bipartisan group of senators has proposed a new bill aimed at shoring up rail safety. The Railway Safety Act of 2023 has been introduced by Vance and other Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Josh Hawley of Missouri, as well as Brown, Casey and fellow Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.In his testimony, Casey said he hopes to hear Norfolk Southern say they support the bill."It's bipartisan -- that never happens around here on big bills, or rarely I should say. It would be a good start by Norfolk Southern to tell us today, in addition to what more they're going to do for the people of Ohio and Pennsylvania, tell us today that they support the bill. That would help. If a major rail company said, 'we support these reforms and will help you pass this bill,' That's what I think the people of both states deserve," Casey said."We have a lot of work to do in the near term, but the future has to be about passing the Railway Safety Act," he said.The bill includes a number of provisions to boost safety procedures to prevent future incidents, including "new safety requirements and procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials like vinyl chloride," a requirement for advance notice from railways to state emergency response officials about what their trains are carrying, requirements to prevent blocked railway crossings and new rules for train size and weight, according to a statement from the senators.
WASHINGTON —
A powerful Senate panel held a hearing Thursday on the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle call for answers and action in the wake of the disaster.
The hearing took place after the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train on February 3 that released toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil of East Palestine. The Senate Environment and Public Works committee heard from witnesses, including Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw. Here are key takeaways from the hearing:
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Norfolk Southern CEO apologizes to communities impacted by the derailment
Shaw began his testimony with an apology to the individuals and communities hurt by the derailment and said that Norfolk Southern will work to help East Palestine recover.
"I want to begin today by expressing how deeply sorry I am for the impact this derailment has had on the residents of East Palestine and the surrounding communities," he said. "I am determined to make this right. Norfolk Southern will clean the site safely, thoroughly and with urgency. You have my personal commitment. Norfolk Southern will get the job done and help East Palestine thrive."
Shaw outlined a number of financial commitments as part of that effort. "In terms of community support, we have announced direct investments of over $21 million," he said, adding, "We committed $7.5 million to Pennsylvania for a community relief fund." The derailment occurred near the state line between Ohio and Pennsylvania.
"All of this is just a down payment," he said. "We will be in the community for as long as it takes."
Ohio and Pennsylvania senators say affected individuals are worried and fearful
The hearing featured several senators as witnesses: Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and J.D. Vance, a Republican, and Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat. They spoke about what they are hearing from constituents in communities affected by fallout from the incident and talked about what they hope to see happen going forward.
Video below: Pete Buttigieg discusses Norfolk Southern ahead of CEO's testimony
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Brown said that during visits to East Palestine he has talked to residents and, "heard their fears for what this means for their town and fears for the future."
"Now these Ohioans are worried about whether their water is safe to drink, the air is safe to breathe, whether their kids will get sick, whether their crops are contaminated, whether they'll still be able to do business and attract investment to the community," he said.
Casey, who noted the derailment "occurred just literally feet away from the Pennsylvania border," said he has heard from farmers who are very concerned. "They want help from the Department of Agriculture. They want certainty that their crops and their livestock are safe and free from contamination and that the food supply and their livelihoods are safe," he said.
Vance said in his testimony, "I think the most important message to the people of East Palestine is that we will not forget about them in the months and years to come, and I think this committee hearing reinforces that message."
A spotlight on rail safety legislation
In the wake of the East Palestine crash, a bipartisan group of senators has proposed a new bill aimed at shoring up rail safety. The Railway Safety Act of 2023 has been introduced by Vance and other Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and Josh Hawley of Missouri, as well as Brown, Casey and fellow Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
In his testimony, Casey said he hopes to hear Norfolk Southern say they support the bill.
"It's bipartisan -- that never happens around here on big bills, or rarely I should say. It would be a good start by Norfolk Southern to tell us today, in addition to what more they're going to do for the people of Ohio and Pennsylvania, tell us today that they support the bill. That would help. If a major rail company said, 'we support these reforms and will help you pass this bill,' That's what I think the people of both states deserve," Casey said.
"We have a lot of work to do in the near term, but the future has to be about passing the Railway Safety Act," he said.
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The bill includes a number of provisions to boost safety procedures to prevent future incidents, including "new safety requirements and procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials like vinyl chloride," a requirement for advance notice from railways to state emergency response officials about what their trains are carrying, requirements to prevent blocked railway crossings and new rules for train size and weight, according to a statement from the senators.