Norfolk Southern will pay $15 million fine as part of federal settlement over Ohio derailment

By JOSH FUNK
Associated Press

The federal government agreed to a $15 million fine for Norfolk Southern over last year’s disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Residents were generally underwhelmed by the deal the Environmental Protection Agency and Justice Department announced Thursday, two days after a federal judge signed off on the railroad’s $600 million class action settlement with residents. In addition to the civil penalty, Norfolk Southern agreed to reimburse the government $235 million in cleanup costs and set up a $25 million health care fund to pay for 20 years of medical exams in the community and follow through on $244 million of planned safety improvements. The railroad won’t face criminal charges.