Norfolk Southern released new details Monday about its plans to compensate East Palestine residents for the loss in home value since the incident. fiery cheating disturbed Life February in a small town in eastern Ohio.
this railway plans It will no doubt be popular with some who want to sell their home and move out of town rather than deal with these issues. Lingering health worries. But some critics say the railroads should be doing more to address these health concerns rather than worry too much about the region’s economic recovery.
Details are still tentative as the Ohio Attorney General’s Office is still negotiating reach agreement This would create a long-term fund to compensate homeowners, as well as two additional funds to pay for any future health issues or water contamination issues. The attorney general’s office said it’s unclear when the funds will be finalized as all questions remain unanswered at this stage.
Railroad companies estimate cleanup costs will exceed US$800 millionThat includes a $74 million pledge from Norfolk Southern to East Palestine to help the town recover. That number will continue to grow as cleanup efforts continue, funding is finalized and various lawsuits proceed.The railroad will also receive compensation from its insurance company and may other companies Participate in an affair.
“This is another step in fulfilling our commitment to righting wrongs in East Palestine. Norfolk Southern remains steadfast in our commitments, including protecting the community’s home values,” said CEO Alan Shaw. Improve security On the railway. “This program is designed to give homeowners the assurance they need.”
this new program Homeowners in East Palestine and the roughly five-mile area surrounding the derailment will be paid the difference between the assessed market value of their homes and the sales price. But accepting compensation through the program would require homeowners to waive property damage claims that they could ultimately collect in one of the lawsuits against the railroad.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, praised the railroad for delivering on a promise made in the spring. “I plan to continue to put pressure on Norfolk Southern to do good things for the community,” he said.
J.D. Vance, one of the U.S. senators from Ohio, proposed a series Railway safety reform With the derailment still pending after the vote, he said he remains skeptical of Norfolk Southern.
“I have low expectations for them to deliver on their promises,” said Vance, a Republican. “I will continue to hold the railroads and their supporters in Congress accountable for the promises they made to the people of Ohio.”
Longtime East Palestine resident Jami Wallace, who has yet to move back home since the derailment, said she and the Solidarity Council group she helped lead are more focused on the health of residents than on issues like home values, though The government and rail companies continue to insist that ongoing testing of the region’s air and water has not revealed worrying levels of chemicals.
Plus, she said “many of our most vulnerable groups are renters,” so a program to help homeowners wouldn’t do much for them.
“Human health should come first,” Wallace said.
Getting answers to the community’s potential health concerns is a top priority for Wallace, who was frustrated by her inability to convince the EPA to conduct detailed testing in her home’s basement.
Furthermore, people who have lived in the city for generations are in no rush to sell their homes. They just want to know their home is safe.
“It’s not just a matter of selling the house and moving to another house. We don’t want to move,” Wallace said.
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