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: Federal officials conduct health surveys of East Palestine families

Ryan King

February 26, 09:27 AM February 26, 09:27 AM

Federal officials are reportedly embarking on door-to-door visits and conducting health surveys with East Palestine, Ohio residents amid heightened fears over the safety of the air and water in the town.

The officials are disbursing two-page flyers outlining the resources available to residents, including how to schedule free health checks and how to get testing for drinking water, CNN reported. The Biden administration green-lit the move amid local frustrations and concerns about the long-term health ramifications of the toxic spill.

OHIO TRAIN DERAILMENT: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT WHETHER THE WATER IS SAFE TO DRINK

So far, the EPA, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been distributing the flyers and are reportedly striving to hit 400 homes by Monday.

President Joe Biden has not unveiled plans to visit the community after having traveled to Eastern Europe last week to commemorate the anniversary of Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine.

“I’ve spoken with every single major figure in both Pennsylvania and in Ohio, and so the idea that we’re not engaged is just simply not there. And initially, there was not a request for me to go out even before I was heading over to Kyiv, so I’m keeping very close tabs on it. We’re doing all we can," Biden told reporters Friday.

Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have been subject to intense criticism from Republicans over their response to the crisis. Buttigieg first visited East Palestine last week.

On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern freight train transporting toxic chemicals, such as vinyl chloride, derailed near East Palestine. Fearing an explosion, officials conducted a controlled burn, but a black plume that emerged afterward exacerbated fears about the dangerous chemicals being released into the nearby soil, air, and water.

Some residents later reported rashes and other health ailments. Thousands of dead wildlife have also been discovered nearby the wreckage.

The EPA ordered a temporary stop to the removal of contaminated waste from the crash on Saturday. Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report on the derailment and concluded the incident was preventable.

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.