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Norfolk Southern Railway CEO Alan Shaw and EPA officials will testify about the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which left residents angry and scared about potential damage from toxic chemicals.
The officials are speaking before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. In a statement prepared ahead of the hearing, Shaw said he’s “deeply sorry” for the incident and “determined to make it right,” according to The Hill.
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Read live updates on the hearing below:
That's A Wrap
After some closing remarks from Carper, this hearing has ended. Check out HuffPost for more updates on the East Palestine train disaster.
The Good And The Bad
When asked by Carper, each official testifying spoke about things that have gone right in the aftermath of the train derailment, with many citing collaboration among the response groups.
Capito, however, said she's "still very disturbed about the communication issue." She argued piles of debris and smells from the derailment still prompt "fear" among East Palestine residents and create a lack of trust with the companies involved.
Capito, however, said she's "still very disturbed about the communication issue." She argued piles of debris and smells from the derailment still prompt "fear" among East Palestine residents and create a lack of trust with the companies involved.
Shaw Questioned About Hires
When asked by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) if Norfolk Southern planned to hire the workers necessary to inspect rail cars and prevent accidents like this in the future, Shaw said the company has been on a "hiring spree" since he started as CEO 10 months ago.
"Right now we are aggressively hiring employees," he said, without directly committing to hiring anyone to increase inspections as a result of the East Palestine derailment.
"Right now we are aggressively hiring employees," he said, without directly committing to hiring anyone to increase inspections as a result of the East Palestine derailment.
Markey Rips Norfolk Southern For 'Complacency'
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) chastised Shaw for "complacency."
"You're not having a good month," Markey told the CEO. "Seems like every week there's another accident."
"Overconfidence breeds complacency, and complacency breeds disaster," he added.
Markey also pushed Shaw to offer assistance to everyone in the area affected by the derailment, saying it wasn't clear the company would help those beyond a one-mile radius of the accident.
"These people were just there at home and all of a sudden, their small businesses, their homes are going to forever be diminished in value," he said.
"You're not having a good month," Markey told the CEO. "Seems like every week there's another accident."
"Overconfidence breeds complacency, and complacency breeds disaster," he added.
Markey also pushed Shaw to offer assistance to everyone in the area affected by the derailment, saying it wasn't clear the company would help those beyond a one-mile radius of the accident.
"These people were just there at home and all of a sudden, their small businesses, their homes are going to forever be diminished in value," he said.
Ocasio-Cortez Pushes House To Hold Hearing
As this hearing unfolds in the Senate, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called for the House Oversight Committee to hold a hearing on the "devastating" derailment.
Graham Calls On Biden To Visit
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called on Biden to visit East Palestine. He also asked officials including Shaw, Shore and Vogel if they would feel safe living there.
Vogel said she "mostly" does live in the community and currently feels safe there.
Vogel said she "mostly" does live in the community and currently feels safe there.
Capito: Why The Wait To Test For Dioxins?
Capito asked EPA Regional Administrator Debra Shore why the federal agency waited more than a month to begin testing for dioxins, the extremely toxic compounds that experts have warned could have formed when officials burned off vinyl chloride aboard the train.
"Our air monitoring was searching for primary indicators. ... We detected very low levels which very quickly went down to non-detect," Shore said. "Without those primary indicators, it was a very low probability that dioxins would have been created. They are secondary byproducts of the burning of vinyl chloride."
"Our air monitoring was searching for primary indicators. ... We detected very low levels which very quickly went down to non-detect," Shore said. "Without those primary indicators, it was a very low probability that dioxins would have been created. They are secondary byproducts of the burning of vinyl chloride."
Fetterman Sends Questions
Carper asked some questions on behalf of Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who is currently receiving treatment for clinical depression. Fetterman questioned whether Shaw would support the Railway Safety Act of 2023.
Key Moment
Ohio EPA Director: There Were Gaps In Communication
Carper asked if the Ohio EPA received the necessary information from Norfolk Southern quickly after the train derailment.
The EPA's Vogel acknowledged there were quite a few gaps in communication and missteps in the very early hours following the derailment, but said she believed those gaps have been addressed.
The EPA's Vogel acknowledged there were quite a few gaps in communication and missteps in the very early hours following the derailment, but said she believed those gaps have been addressed.
Ohio EPA Director Addresses Testing Issues
"We will test municipal water systems on a weekly basis and will do that using our own labs," Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel said. "We will continue to be 100% transparent, sharing complete lab results immediately."
To read more on the criticism surrounding the initial testing of the water in East Palestine, go here.
To read more on the criticism surrounding the initial testing of the water in East Palestine, go here.
Previously: Biden Will Visit 'At Some Point'
Earlier this month, President Joe Biden said he would visit East Palestine "at some point," and that he's in touch with officials dealing with the aftermath of the train derailment.
“I’ve spoken with every official in Ohio, Democrat and Republican, on a continuous basis, as in Pennsylvania,” Biden said. “I laid out a little bit in there what I think the answers are, and we put it together. And we will be implementing an awful lot to the legislation here. And I will be out there at some point."
“I’ve spoken with every official in Ohio, Democrat and Republican, on a continuous basis, as in Pennsylvania,” Biden said. “I laid out a little bit in there what I think the answers are, and we put it together. And we will be implementing an awful lot to the legislation here. And I will be out there at some point."
Vance: Leadership Views East Palestine As 'Maybe A Little Too White'
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) insinuated the government was slow to respond to the train derailment because residents of the village are "a little too rural, maybe a little too white."
Norfolk Southern CEO Apologizes
Shaw kicked off his remarks with an apology to the residents of East Palestine, saying the company will work for "as long as it takes" to clean up the derailment site and "make it right" with residents.
Brown Rips Norfolk Southern
“If Norfolk Southern had paid a little more attention to safety and a little less attention to profits, it cared a little more about the Ohioans along its tracks and a little less about its executives and shareholders, these accidents would not have been as bad or not happened at all," Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said.
Capito Slams EPA Response
During her opening statement, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) slammed the EPA's response in East Palestine.
"Why did it take weeks for the EPA Administrator [Michael Regan] to drink the water he repeatedly told residents was safe?" she asked.
As HuffPost previously reported, the state of Ohio relied solely on "sloppy" railroad-funded sampling to initially declare the village's municipal water safe. Separate, independent water quality data wasn't made public until days after Regan and state officials drank the town’s tap water during a series of home visits.
"Why did it take weeks for the EPA Administrator [Michael Regan] to drink the water he repeatedly told residents was safe?" she asked.
As HuffPost previously reported, the state of Ohio relied solely on "sloppy" railroad-funded sampling to initially declare the village's municipal water safe. Separate, independent water quality data wasn't made public until days after Regan and state officials drank the town’s tap water during a series of home visits.
'Sloppy' Water Testing Criticized
HuffPost's Chris D'Angelo reported in February that the Ohio EPA had used railroad-funded sampling to declare the water in East Palestine safe to drink. He later spoke with scientists who expressed skepticism about the use of those test results to make a declaration about the safety of the water.
“As a scientist, I am trained to be skeptical and critical of work that’s being done — especially when the work is being funded by the people who are responsible for the problem,” Nicole Karn, a chemist and associate professor at the Ohio State University, told HuffPost. “That makes me extra concerned.”
“As a scientist, I am trained to be skeptical and critical of work that’s being done — especially when the work is being funded by the people who are responsible for the problem,” Nicole Karn, a chemist and associate professor at the Ohio State University, told HuffPost. “That makes me extra concerned.”
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Norfolk Southern CEO Arrives
Here's a photo of Shaw arriving earlier this morning to testify.
Another One...
As the hearing kicked off Thursday, WBRC in Alabama reported another train derailment. According to WBRC, this derailment did not feature a train carrying hazardous material, and no one was injured in the incident.
The Hearing's Underway
Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, kicked off the hearing just after 10 a.m.
He encouraged officials to work together to make sure regulations are up to date and enforced, and pushed for Norfolk Southern to fulfill its "moral obligations" to the citizens of East Palestine.
He encouraged officials to work together to make sure regulations are up to date and enforced, and pushed for Norfolk Southern to fulfill its "moral obligations" to the citizens of East Palestine.
HuffPost's Chris D'Angelo wrote about how the Ohio train derailment drew attention to the railroad industry's history of cuts and deregulation.