Norfolk Southern agrees to pay the difference if home near derailment site sells for less than it was worth previously

Norfolk Southern's CEO has said the corporation will pay the difference if a home near the East Palestine derailment site sells for less than it would have prior to the Feb. 3 derailment that sent toxic chemicals into the air."I wouldn't know because I'll never sell," said Sue Matthews, who lives three miles from East Palestine. "I love my house. Other people I've heard talk I've heard where they said it would be hard but with this idea in mind where they say they would take care of the difference, I think that will be very helpful."U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, said he secured the agreement with Norfolk Southern for compensation for declining property values. In a statement, Cruz, R-Texas, wrote: “Norfolk Southern has a long way to go to make things right for the people of East Palestine. This new fund is an important step in repairing the damage done to the community and making whole those homeowners whose property values have declined due to no fault of their own. While we all share the common goal of ensuring incidents like this do not happen again, it is my hope that this agreement will serve as a template for any future incidents where homeowners are unfairly harmed. My colleagues and I will be watching closely to ensure that Norfolk Southern makes good on this commitment to the people of East Palestine.”