NS Delivers 12-Month Progress Report on East Palestine Efforts (UPDATED 2/5)

Norfolk Southern (NS) recently released a 12-month progress report detailing the Class I railroad’s efforts in East Palestine, Ohio, and the surrounding communities, following the Feb. 3, 2023, train derailment.

“Over the past 12 months, we have made significant progress in East Palestine. We’re keeping our promises, and we’ll continue to listen to the community and help the area recover and thrive,” according to NS.

“We’re now focused on our long-term initiatives to address health concerns, protect home values, and safeguard area drinking water. We’re also committed to the long-term economic development of the community.”

In the six months since the railroad’s last progress report, NS has:

• Provided a $500,000 grant for economic development.
• Pledged nearly $4.3 million to support upgrades to drinking water infrastructure.
• Broke ground in East Palestine on the First Responder Training Center.
• Completed the initial intensive phase of environmental remediation.
• Announced the next phase of its community assistance program.
• Began implementing changes based on the independent review by Atkins Nuclear Secured (ANS).
• Made significant progress on the “Six Point Action Plan for Safety.”

To date, NS has committed more than $103 million to East Palestine and the surrounding areas in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

“Exactly 12 months ago, we made a promise to make it right in East Palestine and the surrounding area” NS President and CEO Alan Shaw said in a Feb. 4 LinkedIn post. “Today, I met with local businesses and spent time with my colleagues who call East Palestine home. We talked about the progress we’ve made, our long-term initiatives, and the work ahead. Norfolk Southern is fully committed to not only restoring the community, but also making it stronger. Every step of the way, we’re listening and working closely with community leaders, residents, and businesses. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made together, but our work isn’t finished. Our permanent field office is opening soon and will be staffed by our dedicated ground team. Norfolk Southern is keeping its promises. Just as we did six months ago, we compiled a report detailing our efforts over the past year, the progress we’ve made with the community, and next steps.”

More information is available here.

In a related development, NS on Feb. 2 reported that following a successful round of testing in the derailment zone, it has “another positive update” on the remediation and water sampling efforts in East Palestine. 

“The areas where we’ve done our work, where we’ve done our restoration, we got confirmation that those materials have been removed, that water quality is actually looking very good,” said Chris Hunsicker, the Class I’s Regional Manager of Environmental Operations. 

Since the derailment, NS has initiated its own water sampling tests that it said “go beyond” the required testing the railroad is also conducting with the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal and state regulators. 

“From early on in the response, we’ve been collecting all the storm water that flows into the site, Hunsicker said. “We collect that, we manage it, we treat it. It either gets shipped off to a licensed facility for disposal or we treat it here and then it goes and gets shipped off.”

NS said it is working with both the U.S. and Ohio EPA to have final remediation plans approved for the restoration of both Leslie Run and Sulphur Run creeks. 

DOWNLOAD THE FULL NS 12-MONTH PROGRESS REPORT BELOW:

Further Reading:

• Report: Activist Investor Attempting NS Takeover
• NS 4Q23 Concludes ‘Challenging, Transformational’ Year

Railway Age Executive Editor Marybeth Luczak contributed to this report.