Ohio train derailment: Justice Department suing Norfolk Southern over February derailment

Jack Birle

March 31, 09:43 AM March 31, 09:44 AM

The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern for the derailment of a train carrying hazardous materials near East Palestine, Ohio, last month.

The suit, which has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Ohio, asserts that Norfolk Southern unlawfully polluted waterways in the area via the discharge of the hazardous materials that were on the train.

OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO OFFER TESTING AND PHYSICAL EXAMS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

The civil action being brought by the DOJ is on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency, per the filing, and is looking to "ensure it pays the full cost of the environmental cleanup."

The DOJ is "seeking injunctive relief, cost recovery, and civil penalties" for the pollution to the various waterways it says were affected as a result of the derailment, per the lawsuit.

Norfolk Southern has previously vowed to pay for the cleanup of the derailment and the surrounding area, but the legal action looks to ensure the rail company will be held liable for the environmental disaster.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced a lawsuit earlier this month, accusing Norfolk Southern of violating various federal and state laws.

The Ohio Department of Health recently announced it would begin offering blood and urine testing along with physical exams to first responders who worked to clean up the derailed trains and the hazardous materials.

The Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine had 20 cars carrying hazardous materials. Of those, 11 derailed, causing environmental and safety concerns in the surrounding rural area.

Ohio train derailment: Department of Health to offer testing and physical exams for first responders

Misty Severi

March 28, 08:22 PM March 28, 08:23 PM

The Ohio Department of Health is preparing to offer blood and urine testing and physical exams to first responders who helped clean up after the major toxic train derailment in East Palestine last month.

The testing is expected to begin within two weeks. It will be the first step in a longer-term effort to monitor the health of the first responders, according to CNN. A local church in East Palestine has also decided to open its health assessment clinic permanently.

OHIO COULD BECOME NEXT BATTLEGROUND STATE ON ABORTION

“In early March, ODH began soliciting first responders to voluntarily fill out a specialized After Chemical Exposure (ACE) survey, and more than 200 have filled those out so far. This collects information on type of exposure and PPE worn as well as any health impacts responders may be experiencing,” the department told CNN.

“The next step in our comprehensive plan of ongoing monitoring of first responders involves creating a clinical service within the next several weeks. This service is in the planning stages and many details still have not been determined, but it would include voluntary laboratory testing,” it added.

Approximately 300 firefighters from 50 departments, including many volunteers, responded to the derailment on Feb. 3, 2023. The subsequent fire that broke out burned through many of the firefighters' equipment and exposed them to at least five toxic chemicals. Others did not bring the proper equipment and therefore risked their health.

It was not clear how the exams and medical care would be paid for, but Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) previously indicated that the railroad company Norfolk Southern would pay for the majority of care. The kind of chemicals responders were exposed to is also unclear, but investigators have reported that multiple cars were carrying toxic chemicals like vinyl chloride.

DeWine also called on Congress to change requirements for hazardous trains last week. He noted that the failure to classify the Norfolk Southern train as a “high hazardous material” train prevented officials from knowing what dangerous chemicals the train was carrying.

Another Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio after toxic East Palestine spill

Emily Jacobs

March 04, 10:45 PM March 04, 10:45 PM

A Norfolk Southern cargo train derailed in Ohio on Saturday evening, one month after the derailment of another company train carrying hazardous materials sparked concerns about the safety of those nearby.

The Saturday incident took place near the town of Springfield, Ohio, as the 212-car train traveled south, a company spokesperson said. About 20 cars from the train, which did not have passengers on board, derailed by State Route 41 near the Clark County Fairgrounds, leading officials to advise locals within 1,000 feet of the scene to shelter in place. The derailment also caused more than 1,500 residents to temporarily lose power.

OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT: BIDEN SAYS HE'LL VISIT EAST PALESTINE 'AT SOME POINT'

Norfolk Southern maintains that there were no hazardous materials aboard the train that could lead to anything like what occurred in East Palestine, Ohio in February.

Thirty eight cars of a 150-car train derailed on Feb. 3 while carrying at least five hazardous chemicals, including cancer-causing vinyl chloride, in the eastern Ohio town. After temporarily evacuating residents, officials intentionally released the chemicals into the air while scrambling to avoid an explosion.

Scores of livestock and other animals have died in the weeks since the toxic fumes spread through the small town. Residents, meanwhile, have reported symptoms including rashes, sore throats, nausea, headaches, and burning sensations in their eyes. They have also reported lingering chemical odors.

After taking criticism for the federal government's response to the incident, senior Biden administration officials including Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg vowed to hold the rail company accountable. In response to Saturday's derailment, Buttigieg tweeted that he was monitoring the situation and was in touch with state officials.

"I have been briefed by FRA leadership and spoke with Gov. DeWine to offer our support after the derailment today in Clark County, Ohio," he wrote. "No hazardous material release has been reported, but we will continue to monitor closely and FRA personnel are en route."

Three scandals that sank recent Cabinet officials

Jack Birle

February 26, 06:00 AM February 26, 06:00 AM

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been under intense scrutiny for various transit problems during his two years as head of the Department of Transportation, with the Ohio train derailment being the latest in that series.

As Buttigieg receives bipartisan criticism over his job performance and some Republicans call for him to resign, here is a look at three recent Cabinet officials in the Trump and Obama administrations who resigned after scandal.

BUTTIGIEG BLUNDERS: THREE TIMES PETE HAS CRASHED AS TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY

Ryan Zinke — secretary of the interior (2017-2019)

Ryan Zinke served as the head of the Department of the Interior for nearly two years before resigning in December 2018. He faced federal investigations into his travel, political activity, and potential conflicts of interest. The inspector general at the Department referred Zinke to the Department of Justice over its findings, but the DOJ declined to prosecute Zinke.

He was elected in 2022 to serve in Congress, representing Montana's 1st Congressional District.

Tom Price — secretary of health and human services (2017)

Tom Price served as the head of the Department of Health and Human Services for only seven months before resigning in September 2017.

He was the first Trump Cabinet member to resign after reports surfaced he was using close to $1 million in taxpayer money to pay for travel on private jets rather than fly commercial. He reportedly repaid the government $60,000 for the expenses, but the number was far lower than how much his travel actually cost the department.

Eric Shinseki — secretary of veterans affairs (2009-2014)

Eric Shinseki served as head of the Department of Veterans Affairs for the entirety of President Barack Obama's first term before resigning midway through his second.

He resigned as a result of the 2014 Veterans Health Administration scandal when long appointment wait times for the Phoenix Veterans' Affairs Health Care System led to the deaths of 40 veterans who were waiting for care. The negligence at the facility led to several officials losing their jobs, including Shinseki.

After widespread criticism for his slow response to the Ohio train derailment, Buttigieg visited East Palestine, Ohio, to get updates from the National Transportation Safety Board and hear from residents of the town hardest hit by the disaster.

Ohio train derailment: East Palestine residents 'sound like Mickey Mouse'

Heather Hunter

February 25, 03:22 PM February 25, 03:22 PM

Following the toxic train derailment and explosion in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, residents are furious about the mounting health concerns related to the incident.

Ohio resident Wade Lovett is reportedly having trouble breathing and now "sounds like Mickey Mouse."

'SOMEONE ON THE STAFF BLEW IT': BIDEN AND BUTTIGIEG'S BAD WEEK IN EAST PALESTINE

“My voice sounds like Mickey Mouse. My normal voice is low. It’s hard to breathe, especially at night," he told the New York Post. "My chest hurts so much at night I feel like I’m drowning. I cough up phlegm a lot. I lost my job because the doctor won’t release me to go to work,” Lovett allegedly said in "an extremely high-pitched voice."

The 40-year-old auto dealer says medical professionals have told him that he has "chemicals" in him, but "there’s no one in town who can run the toxicological tests to find out which ones they are."

Despite his health condition, he and his fiancee have been delivering bottled water to other residents in his community.

Other residents are experiencing health issues, including rashes and sore throats from the chemical fire explosion.

Texas A&M University of Environmental Protection Agency reported on Friday that it found nine air pollutants at levels that could raise long-term health concerns for residents in the area.

Toxic vinyl chloride was spilled and later burned when rail cars blew up following the derailment. A class-action suit has been filed against Norfolk Southern Railway on behalf of hundreds of affected residents within 30 miles of the derailment.

Medical professionals suspect that some people's headaches, rashes, and respiratory problems are associated with the hazardous chemicals in the air.

Social media influencer Benny Johnson visited the scene and said the air quality "burns your skin."

"You get hit with it. It's like a wave," he said in a social media video.

East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway says he's nervous about the long-term effects on his residents.

"A lot of our residents have moved back in, and I'm generally concerned about their concerns. I just don't know — they tell us the water's safe, it's safe to go back to your home, but yet there's people getting rashes, and I mean, they're nervous, so I really feel for our residents," he said. "We're going to need yearly health checks, if not, you know, bi-yearly health checks."