Remember the absolutely bonkers Norfolk Southern train derailment back in early February? 🚂🆘 Well, it looks like the company's finally getting their act together to compensate impacted homeowners in Ohio and parts of Pennsylvania. 🏘️
In case you missed it, the train caught fire and spilled over a million (!!!) gallons of hazardous materials and pollutants in East Palestine, OH.☣️😵💫 Many area homeowners had to sell their properties at a reduced cost. Not cool, Brosef. Not cool.
Here’s Five Fast Facts on Norfolk Southern's plan:
- 🚉 Lights, Camera, Action - Norfolk Southern first announced program plans back in May. Now they're ready to take action. The compensation program applies to impacted homeowners in parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania near the derailment site with homes on the market, future listings, or homes sold since February 3rd.
- 🛤️ Cover Me - The fund covers a radius of approximately 5 miles around the derailment, and the total coverage is about 91 square miles. Specifically, it includes parts of Columbiana and Mahoning Counties in Ohio and Beaver and Lawrence Counties in Pennsylvania.
- 💵 Runnin' Up That Bill - The company hasn't yet disclosed a cost estimate for this new program. However, so far, the company has run up charges of over $800 million related to the derailment.
- 🩺 Health is Wealth - In addition to their new payout plan, Norfolk Southern mentioned plans to create a long-term medical compensation fund and a program to help protect the drinking water in East Palestine.
- 👁️ I'll Be Watching You - Even though compensation plans are in motion, the government's still keeping a close eye on the company. Last month, the Federal Railroad Administration said Norfolk Southern still needs to make significant safety improvements and might take enforcement actions against the railroad on things like track maintenance, inspection, repair practices, and hours of service regulations.
🔥Bottom line: Train derailments are no bueno, especially when hazardous chemicals are involved. So many were impacted by the East Palestine fiasco and the fallout continues to pile up. Let's hope affected homeowners get compensated appropriately. Did you know Ohio has a really diverse workforce? Read more about it here.
Do you know anyone impacted by the trail derailment?
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