Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw on Thursday shared an open letter with the community of East Palestine, Ohio, vowing that the company will "help make things right" after a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in the community earlier this month.
"We will not walk away, East Palestine," Shaw's letter began. "When I visited East Palestine last week, you told me how the train derailment has upended your lives and how concerned you are about the safety of your air, water, and land. Many of you have also reached out to Norfolk Southern to share your fears, your anger, and your frustration."
A Norfolk Southern train with 10 cars carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3. The accident caused hazardous chemicals, including vinyl chloride, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, to spill onto the ground and sent a plume of smoke into the air.
Hundreds of residents evacuated and the railroad conducted a controlled release of the chemicals to avert a possible explosion, which caused the discharge of toxic fumes into the air. The company has been criticized by residents for its handling of the incident, and company representatives declined to appear at a town hall after the company said its personnel had received threats.
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Shaw wrote in response to questions about whether Norfolk Southern will help rectify the situation: "My simple answer is that we are here and will stay here for as long as it takes to ensure your safety and to help East Palestine recover and thrive."
Shaw's letter said that Norfolk Southern has established a family assistance center to help community members with their needs, and the company has worked with local health officials to implement "a comprehensive testing program to ensure the safety of East Palestine's water, air, and soil." He added that a $1 million community support fund has been established "as a down payment on our commitment to help rebuild" and that "our work is far from over."
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"As we continue site clean-up, the NTSB moves forward with its investigation, and necessary environmental testing is carried out, I promise to keep you updated every step of the way," Shaw wrote in conclusion. "I know there are still a lot of questions without answers. I know you're tired. I know you're worried. We will not let you down."
Residents have been allowed to return to their homes in recent days after the area was deemed safe following the controlled release.
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However, some residents who have returned have aired complaints about dead animals and about lingering odors that have left them feeling ill. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said that residents "may still smell odors from the site" and the Columbiana Health Department recommends that anyone experiencing symptoms should call their medical provider.
The EPA and officials from the state of Ohio verified that air monitoring systems have "not detected any levels of concern" as of Tuesday afternoon.
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The agencies and the company are also sampling East Palestine's water supply. As of Wednesday, the Ohio state EPA said no contaminants associated with the derailment have been detected and that the agency "is confident that the municipal water is safe to drink."
Fox Business' Greg Norman and Joe Toppe contributed to this report.
