“On February 3, 2023, a train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The derailment caused dozens of rail cars to collide into one another and fall over. Fire broke out and lasted for days. Residents of the town had to be evacuated from their homes. As a result of this incident, hazardous materials vented into the air and spilled onto the ground.”
“These substances contaminated local waterways and flowed miles downstream. EPA, along with other agencies, responded within hours of the incident to ensure the safety of public health and the environment. Plaintiff United States of America asks this Court to hold Defendants accountable for unlawfully polluting the nation’s waterways and to ensure it pays the full cost of the environmental cleanup,” says the introduction to the Justice Department’s complaint against Norfolk Southern.