Norfolk Southern agreed to pay a $15 million civil penalty and $57.1 million in past government cleanup costs as well as millions in future costs to resolve a U.S. government lawsuit over a 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, court documents show.
Under a proposed consent decree, the railroad also agreed to make significant safety improvements, install additional safety equipment, improve training and to pay for medical monitoring for health impacts tied to the derailment and release of hazardous chemicals.
The U.S. Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency sued Norfolk Southern in March 2023 to ensure that the railroad pays the full cost of cleanup and any long-term effects of the derailment. Norfolk Southern will also reimburse EPA for future response costs under the proposed consent decree that is subject to public comment and court approval.
The civil penalty is for violations of the Clean Water act.
A Norfolk Southern train rests near the University of North Carolina's energy generation plant after delivering coal to the facility in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Aug. 11, 2022. The railroad has agreed to pay a $15 million civil penalty and $57. (REUTERS/Jonathan Drake / Reuters Photos)
The company, which did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement, did not immediately comment.
Last month, Norfolk Southern agreed to pay $600 million to settle a class action lawsuit over the derailment. The settlement covers claims from residents and businesses in the city and impacted surrounding communities.
The incident sparked calls for railroad safety reforms in Congress, but legislation has stalled.