According to new court documents, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern, alleging that the train derailment in East Palestine last month could have been avoided and was caused by the company’s greed.
The suit, which was filed on Tuesday, claims that the accident endangered the safety and well-being of Ohioans and the state’s natural resources, as gallons of toxic chemicals were released into the air, and water and soil were contaminated. Although no one was harmed, the environmental damage necessitated mass evacuations of the area.
Yost contends that the accident was entirely avoidable and directly attributable to Norfolk Southern’s practice of prioritizing its profits over the health, safety, and welfare of the communities where it operates.
He said that the suit “will make sure that Norfolk Southern keeps its word,” as Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw has already apologized for the disaster and promised to set things right.
The AG argues that the sprawling 58-count lawsuit demonstrates that Norfolk Southern was negligent in allowing defective trains and train operations to contaminate the state’s natural resources and pose a threat to human and environmental health.
The lawsuit alleges that the company’s conduct has resulted in an 80% accident rate over the past decade, with 20 derailments since 2015 resulting in chemical discharges.
The suit claims that the local economy, residents, and businesses have suffered financially as a result of last month’s crash. Yost has demanded unspecified damages for lost taxes, economic losses, and civil penalties, and calls on a judge to require the company to conduct future soil and groundwater monitoring at the crash site and submit a closure plan to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
Norfolk Southern has pledged to assist affected individuals and businesses, invest in the community, and establish a medical compensation fund for long-term health issues, according to a statement.
The company added that it is working on investments to help homeowners fight potential property depreciation and is working to protect drinking water in the long term.
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