South Norfolk Alan Shaw CEO He’ll say U.S. Senate panel on Thursday how he plans to “get it right” after one in all the corporate’s trains derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, last month.
Shaw will appear in a hearing before the Senate Committee on called “hazards to the environment and public health” resulting from the derailment.
In keeping with prepared testimony obtained by NBC News, Shaw will tell the Senate panel that he “deeply regrets the impact this derailment has had on the people of eastern Palestine and surrounding communities.”
“We are going to safely, thoroughly and diligently clean the location. We’re making progress every single day,” Shaw plans to say, in keeping with written comments.
Shaw may also highlight Norfolk Southern’s commitment to financial assistance to affected residents and first responders, amounting to greater than $20 million in returns and investments, in keeping with the CEO.
“Norfolk Southern is working across the clock to handle remaining issues and monitor public health and environmental impacts,” Shaw plans to say. “We proceed to take heed to experts and work with state, federal and native government agencies. We’re committed to this monitoring for so long as mandatory.”
Shaw will appear with EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore, Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel, Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission Executive Director Richard Harrison, and Beaver County Department of Emergency Services Director Eric Brewer.
The committee may also hear from Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown and JD Vance and Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey, who together introduced the Railway Safety Act 2023. The bill goals to streamline safety procedures for trains carrying hazardous materials, establish requirements for roadside damage detectors, increase fines for offenses and create a minimum requirement for two-man crews.
Other committees in Congress are also investigating the East Palestine derailment.
At around 9:00 p.m. local time on February 3, an eastbound Norfolk Southern freight train carrying 11 tank cars carrying hazardous materials derailed after which caught fire. The chemicals contained vinyl chloride, a highly flammable carcinogen, in keeping with the National Transportation Safety Board.
No fatalities were reported after the derailment, although concerns were raised by residents and officials. Railroad union officials told Biden administration officials at a meeting last week that railroad employees fell sick in eastern Palestine while cleansing up the realm.
The NTSB released a preliminary report on February 23 that pointed to an overheated wheel bearing as a think about the derailment and fire. Right now the train was instructed to stop, bearing temperature measured 253 degrees above ambient temperature, above the brink of 200 degrees above where the temperature is taken into account critical under Norfolk Southern criteria.
On Saturday, one other Norfolk Southern train derailed in Ohio, after which residents near Springfield were ordered to take shelter in place. The train was not carrying hazardous materials and no injuries were reported, although there have been power outages in the realm.
Hours after this derailment, internal e-mails received by CNBC indicated that Norfolk Southern was making extensive security changes to forestall future incidents. An organization spokesperson told CNBC that the railroad now requires trains over 10,000 feet to make use of distributed energy, in order that trains are powered from several locations along their entire length.
The Norfolk Southern incidents prompted widespread reviews by government agencies. On Tuesday, the NTSB said it had launched a special investigation into the corporate’s safety organization and culture after the derailments. Individually, the Federal Railroad Administration announced it might conduct a 60-day additional safety assessment of the corporate.
During Tuesday’s press conference, Senator Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., denounced Norfolk Southern for spending “years forcing the federal government to disregard safety recommendations,” in addition to for launching a $20 billion stock buyback program and shedding hundreds of employees as a substitute of upgrading safety equipment.
On Wednesday, Norfolk Southern announced it might establish a latest regional first responder training center in Ohio, in addition to expand its Operation Awareness and Response program, which trains first responders to soundly reply to rail incidents. Training classes will begin on March 22 at Norfolk Southern’s Bellevue, Ohio shipyard.