Norfolk Southern, the railway company responsible for the toxic train derailment and disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, has reached a settlement with many of the residents in the affected area.
The rail line has agreed to pay $600 million to the residents within a 20-mile radius of the toxic train. In return, all class action lawsuits within that geographical zone will be dropped against Norfolk Southern.
This settlement has not yet been approved by the courts, and it should be noted that not all affected residents have opted into the settlement. Additionally, there are affected parties outside of the 20-mile radius.
Norfolk’s proposed settlement also does not cover any actual punitive costs for wrongdoing—just property damage and health-related settlement costs.
In my opinion, the settlement is the lightest that could have been imposed on Norfolk Southern, as the long-term consequences of the disaster have not yet panned out. Here’s what we currently know:
Norfolk Southern reaches $600 million settlement to resolve all class action lawsuits within 20 miles of last year's East Palestine, Ohio, derailment https://t.co/wDGGZVYvlG
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) April 9, 2024
Why didn't the EPA declare a public health emergency in East Palestine, Ohio?
"Internal EPA emails reveal there were concerns about the consequences after chemicals spilled and burned."
pic.twitter.com/sQNVtLkP3n— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) April 4, 2024
The Hill clarified some of the parameters of the settlement:
“If approved by the court, the agreement will resolve all class action claims within a 20-mile radius from the derailment and, for those residents who choose to participate, personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius from the derailment,” Norfolk Southern said in a statement.
Despite the settlement, the Biden administration and federal agencies utterly failed the people of East Palestine, Ohio.
Leading Report journalist Patrick Webb revealed: “Newly obtained email reveals that the EPA could have invoked section 1881A of the Social Security Act in East Palestine and given residents access to lifelong health care, but failed to do so, stating ‘best not to get into this’.”
BREAKING: Newly obtained email reveals that the EPA could have invoked section 1881A of the Social Security Act in East Palestine and given residents access to lifelong health care, but failed to do so, stating “best not to get into this”. pic.twitter.com/pA8L4Oh9AF
— Patrick Webb (@RealPatrickWebb) April 7, 2024
East Palestine, Ohio woman reveals that LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics have discontinued their blood dioxin test following the hazardous train derailment.
Vanguard, BlackRock and Norfolk Southern are a few of the labs’ largest shareholders. pic.twitter.com/L0xABnE5tg
— Project TABS (@ProjectTabs) April 5, 2024
The Associated Press shared the words of one East Palestine resident:
“It’s not nowhere near my needs let alone what the health effects are going to be 5 or 10 years down the road,” said Eric Cozza, who had 47 family members living within one-mile of the derailment.
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