UPDATE - US agency orders Norfolk Southern to clean up, pay for Ohio hazmat train disaster

ADDS STATEMENT FROM BIDEN

By Darren Lyn and Rabia Iclal Turan

HOUSTON/WASHINGTON, US (AA) - The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Tuesday that rail operator Norfolk Southern Corp must pay for the cleanup and costs associated with the Feb. 3 hazmat train derailment in the village of East Palestine in the state of Ohio.

“Let me be clear: Norfolk Southern will pay for cleaning up the mess they created and for the trauma they’ve inflicted on this community," said EPA Administrator Michael Regan at a news conference.

The EPA's sweeping enforcement against Norfolk Southern carries major penalties if the company does not comply with and complete all of the EPA's mandates, including paying triple the cost of damages inflicted on the community.

“The Norfolk Southern train derailment has upended the lives of East Palestine families, and the EPA’s order will ensure the company is held accountable for jeopardizing the health and safety of this community," Regan continued.

The EPA's order will require Norfolk Southern to identify and clean contaminated soil and water, pay any EPA costs including reimbursing the agency for cleaning services for residents and businesses, and participate in public meetings requested by the EPA.

The company already faces multiple class-action lawsuits from East Palestine residents, hundreds of whom were forced to evacuate their homes for nearly two weeks.

The Ohio state attorney general’s office has said it is also planning to take legal action against Norfolk Southern.

"We recognize that we have a responsibility, and we have committed to doing what’s right for the residents of East Palestine," Norfolk Southern said in a statement. "We have been paying for the cleanup activities to date and will continue to do so."

After the derailment, Norfolk Southern released and burned toxic chemicals in East Palestine to avoid an explosion.

The EPA said it has tested the air quality and told residents that “no detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride were identified above levels of concern.”

However, residents have complained of multiple health problems including nausea, dizziness, headaches, runny noses, watery eyes and tongue swelling and burning. The Ohio Health Department opened a clinic to address those mounting health concerns.

"We are committed to thoroughly and safely cleaning the site, and we are reimbursing residents for the disruption this has caused in their lives," said Norfolk Southern. "We are going to learn from this terrible accident and work with regulators and elected officials to improve railroad safety.”

President Joe Biden noted Tuesday that the EPA ordered Norfolk Southern to pay for the "clean-up," adding: "This is common sense. This is their mess. They should clean it up."

"Our team is working in lockstep with state and local officials and were on the ground hours after the train derailed," he wrote on Twitter.

Biden said that rail companies have spent millions of dollars to "oppose common-sense safety regulations."

"And it’s worked," he said. "This is more than a train derailment or a toxic waste spill – it’s years of opposition to safety measures coming home to roost."

"We'll continue to hold rail companies accountable when they fail to put safety first. But first, we’ve got Norfolk Southern’s mess to clean. I want affected residents to know that we’ve got your back," he added.

Biden's statement came as former President Donald Trump is set to visit East Palestine, Ohio on Wednesday.