The U.S. Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (Norfolk Southern) for the toxic train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio last month.
On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern train with 10 cars carrying hazardous materials derailed, causing hazardous chemicals, including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, to spill onto the ground and sent a plume of smoke into the air. The crash forced nearly half of the 5,000 population of East Palestine to be evacuated for a time.
DOJ's complaint seeks to hold Norfolk Southern liable for the unlawful discharge of pollutants, oil, and hazardous substances under the Clean Water Act, and past and future costs of the cleanup and damage of the event under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA).
"When a Norfolk Southern train derailed last month in East Palestine, Ohio, it released toxins into the air, soil, and water, endangering the health and safety of people in surrounding communities," Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said in a statement Friday.
"With this complaint, the Justice Department and the EPA are acting to pursue justice for the residents of East Palestine and ensure that Norfolk Southern carries the financial burden for the harm it has caused and continues to inflict on the community."
