EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — More than one month has passed since the toxic Ohio train derailment in East Palestine, and now Norfolk Southern has agreed to provide additional financial assistance to impacted residents – including the portions of Pennsylvania within a mile of the derailment site.
“This assistance may include temporary lodging, travel, food, clothing and other necessities,” the Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday evening. “The relocation offer is completely voluntary and is being provided as an option and a resource to interested residents to ensure they feel comfortable throughout the track excavation work.”
The EPA said residents who would like to take advantage of the offer should contact the Norfolk Southern resource hotline at 800-230-7049, which is available 24 hours, or visit the Family Assistance Center at Abundant Life Church in New Waterford, Ohio.
The EPA, meanwhile, also announced plans to hold a Resource Fair for residents at the East Palestine High School gym from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, March 9. This will give those in the community an opportunity to meet with federal, state and local officials for face-to-face questions.
On Monday, Norfolk Southern released a six-point plan "to immediately enhance the safety of its operations" after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released their preliminary report in the East Palestine incident. You can read full details of that plan HERE. The announcement came just a few days after another Norfolk Southern train derailment happened Saturday in Springfield, Ohio.
In an unrelated incident, a Norfolk Southern worker died early Tuesday morning after a collision between a train and dump truck in Cleveland.