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CNN town hall on toxic train disaster in East Palestine, Ohio

By Elise Hammond, Tori B. Powell and Amir Vera, CNN

Updated 12:48 a.m. ET, February 23, 2023

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11:35 p.m. ET, February 22, 2023

East Palestine has the chance to write "the greatest comeback story in American history," resident says

DJ Yokley speaks during a town hall on the disaster in East Palestine, Ohio, in New York City on February 22. (CNN)

As Wednesday's CNN town hall wrapped up, residents of East Palestine gave their final thoughts to CNN's Jake Tapper.

DJ Yokley, who was outspoken on small businesses and raising children in the village, said the residents of East Palestine now have a chance to participate in a great recovery story after the train derailment earlier this month.

"As a leader in the community, watching leaders across our state and our federal, I feel confident to bet on ourselves," Yokley said, noting that the east Ohio town had a chance to write "the greatest comeback story in American history."

He added: "If we're betting on us, I'm happy it's East Palestine residents that get it."

11:31 p.m. ET, February 22, 2023

Norfolk Southern CEO declines investigation questions

Alan Shaw speaks during a town hall, in East Palestine, Ohio on February 22. (CNN)

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw declined to answer questions regarding the ongoing National Transportation Safety Board investigation or details relating to what caused the train derailment.

"I'm prohibited from talking about the ongoing investigation," Shaw said. "What I can do and what I am doing and the commitment that I'm making is we're going to get the environmental cleanup right. We're going to support the citizens and the family members here and we're going to invest in the longterm growth of this community and help East Palestine thrive."

He said he is looking forward to the investigation's findings.

11:24 p.m. ET, February 22, 2023

"Did you shorten my life?": Angry residents confront train CEO after disaster

Jim Stewart, right, speaks to Alan Shaw during a town hall on February 22. (CNN)

Jim Stewart, who has lived in East Palestine, Ohio, for 65 years, said he no longer feels safe in his town after the train derailment earlier this month.

"I'm angry about this," he told Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw.

"I don't feel safe in this town now, you took it away from me. You took this away from us," Stewart said.

He said he lives very close to the derailment site and although there has been testing of the air quality around his property he said he is "afraid to put my dog out just to pee."

Stewart said he feels a sense of loss and he worries about the value of his home and his ability to retire in the coming years.

"I don't call it a derailment, I call it a disaster," Stewart said.

"Did you shorten my life, now? I want to retire and enjoy it. How are we gonna enjoy it? You burned me," he said. He talked about the uncertainty of if it is safe to do things around his home, from mowing the grass to planting vegetables.

In response, Shaw said he is going to "make it right" by cleaning up the chemicals, reimbursing residents and making investments to improve the safety of trains.

Watch:

10:45 p.m. ET, February 22, 2023

Shaw says company has begun to implement safety measures but that they are an "internal component"

Alan Shaw speaks to reporters in East Palestine, Ohio on Tuesday, February 21. (Matt Freed/AP)

Since the train derailment earlier this month, Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said the company has already implemented new safety measures to prevent future incidents.

Shaw said that "in the immediate aftermath," the company has tested and calibrated wayside detectors across its system and said it will continue to do so.

When asked by a resident if safety measures would be made public, Shaw said "it is an internal component to Norfolk Southern."

Another resident pushed back, asking "don't you think people would want to see that happening?"

Shaw answered, saying the company "can certainly take videos" of new safety measures being implemented and post them.

10:29 p.m. ET, February 22, 2023

Norfolk Southern plans to rip out track where train derailed and remove soil underneath, CEO says

Alan Shaw, Norfolk Southern CEO, said the company plans to take a series of measures moving forward to minimize the long-term impacts of chemicals on the land and groundwater, including ripping up the tracks where the train derailed and removing soil underneath.

He said "we've exited the emergency phase" and are now working with the Environmental Protection Agency on a "long-term remediation plan."

Initially, Shaw said they felt like they had an "environmentally sound plan based on engineering principles" to deal with the soil where the chemicals spilled, but after pushback from the community, Norfolk Southern decided to remove the tracks completely.

He said this effort is expected to start at the beginning of March.

Shaw said they will also continue to monitor testing from various agencies and contractors and are setting up groundwater testing in and around the site.

10:49 p.m. ET, February 22, 2023

"I'm terribly sorry." Norfolk Southern CEO apologizes to residents of East Palestine

Alan Shaw, first from left, apologizes to East Palestine residents during a town hall, in East Palestine, Ohio on February 22. (CNN)

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw apologized to East Palestine residents for the train derailment disaster.

"I'm terribly sorry for what has happened to your community," he said during the CNN town hall Wednesday night. "I want you to know that Norfolk Southern is here, and we're going to stay here. And we're going to make this right."

He said the company is going to review the results of the NTSB's investigation as well as using data to "figure out what we could've done better."

"There's always more that we can do," he said. "And I'm committed to making Norfolk Southern a safer railroad."

11:16 p.m. ET, February 22, 2023

"There's a lot of fears" in East Palestine community that need answers, mayor says

Mayor Trent Conaway answers to questions during a town hall, in East Palestine, Ohio on February 22. (CNN)

East Palestine, Ohio, Mayor Trent Conaway is calling for answers to ease fears in the community following the derailment of a train carrying toxic chemicals.

"There's a lot of fears in town," especially from people who live close to the train tracks where the crash happened, he said.

"They're justified and they need answers," Conaway said during the CNN town hall. "And we'll get those answers."

He said he is cautiously optimistic that the community will bounce back, pointing to assurances from officials and experts.

"This is going to be a very long process, and you know, eventually, hopefully it comes to an end and hopefully it goes back to the way it was, and actually better than the way it was. That's our main goal," Conaway said.

10:13 p.m. ET, February 22, 2023

EPA administrator says he understands skepticism "as a father," but points to safe air and water assessments

While he said he understands the hesitation of East Palestine, Ohio, residents to bring their families back to their homes, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan said he would raise his children in the community.

"Yes, I would based on the evidence that we have," he said in response to a question from town resident DJ Yokley, who asked if Regan would feel safe raising his kids in East Palestine.

"I understand the skepticism, as a father. I'm a father first and foremost, I understand the skepticism, but what I can tell you is what the science tells us and that these readings are indicating that there are safe levels," Regan said.

Regan laid out various types of air monitoring the EPA has been doing around the site where a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed. This includes an airplane, a mobile van moving in and out of the area and several air quality monitors placed "strategically all around the community."

He said his agency has tested the air quality inside more than 550 home and are working with state officials to test the water.

"What the science tells us is that we haven't had any readings that are above certain levels that would cause adverse health impacts," Regan said.

12:00 a.m. ET, February 23, 2023

EPA administrator outlines accountability plan for Norfolk Southern

Michael Regan answers to questions during a town hall on February 22. (CNN)

Norfolk Southern has been ordered by the Environmental Protection Agency to fully clean up its toxic train wreck and pay for the fallout in East Palestine, Ohio.

EPA Administrator Michael Regan told CNN Wednesday the company will take care of the incident "in a very prescribed manner on a specific timeframe."

Here's what that looks like:

According to special authority by the EPA, Norfolk Southern is required to provide the agency with a descriptive cleanup plan for contaminated soil and water as well as debris, Regan said.
The company will also reimburse the EPA for providing all East Palestine residents with an interior and exterior cleaning service of their homes and businesses.
Norfolk Southern representatives will also be compelled to "show up at EPA's request to public meetings and explain and talk to the residents about what they're doing during this process."
And should Norfolk Southern fail to meet the EPA's orders, Regan said the agency will "step in" and could charge the company up to three times the amount that the cleanup would cost.

"There are a lot of incentives built in here, in this order, to compel the company to clean up their mess," he said.