HARRISBURG, PA — Attorney General Michelle Henry has called for further actions from Norfolk Southern following last year’s train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. In a letter to federal authorities on Friday, AG Henry emphasized the need for increased healthcare funding and stricter oversight of Norfolk Southern’s operations.
The letter was co-signed by Governor Josh Shapiro and submitted in response to the U.S. Department of Justice’s request for input on a proposed settlement with Norfolk Southern regarding the February 3, 2023 derailment.
Attorney General Henry praised the Department of Justice for its efforts to expedite the settlement process. However, she expressed concerns about the adequacy of the proposed measures, highlighting gaps that leave affected residents and workers without sufficient support.
“This catastrophic crash had wide-ranging impacts on many Pennsylvania residents and workers, and Norfolk Southern must remedy these impacts,” said Henry. “As a result of this incident, many Pennsylvanians are in financial hardship and were physically harmed — the full extent of those negative health impacts still to be seen — and they deserve to be made whole, now and in the future.”
The letter outlined three primary concerns:
- Inadequate Healthcare Funding: The current provisions do not sufficiently cover present and future health impacts resulting from the toxic plumes released during the derailment.
- Limited Applicability for Health and Environmental Monitoring: The scope of these provisions is not broad enough to encompass all affected individuals and areas.
- Failure to Incorporate NTSB Recommendations: The proposed settlement does not include recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board’s final report on the incident.
Attorney General Henry’s letter aims to ensure that all impacted Pennsylvanians receive comprehensive support and that Norfolk Southern is held accountable for any ongoing and future consequences of the derailment.
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