Three Pennsylvania lawmakers have said Norfolk Southern isn't providing proper assistance to residents affected by a train derailment last month in nearby East Palestine, Ohio.
"While we appreciate that Norfolk Southern has established a Family Assistance Center in East Palestine to answer questions and assist residents, we are frustrated by repeated reports from Pennsylvania residents that they are being turned away and denied needed assistance, including reimbursements for receipts and inconvenience checks," Sens. Robert Casey and John Fetterman and Rep. Chris Deluzio wrote in a letter to Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw on Wednesday.
"We appreciate the assistance you have offered to Darlington Township families on a case-by-case basis, but Pennsylvania families should not face additional hardship to get the assistance they are owed," the letter read.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Wednesday criticized Norfolk Southern as "bad actors" who "failed miserably."
"Clearly they've been bad actors in this case, and they have a responsibility now to make it good for the good people of Pennsylvania," Shapiro told NBC News.
"Make sure that the air they breathe is safe, the water that they drink is safe, the farm land where their animals roam is safe, and where their crops are harvested is safe. They have a lot of work to do, and the cost will come out of their pocket."
"And then, I think they have a responsibility going forward to make sure something like this never happens again," he added.
A Norfolk Southern spokesperson told NBC the company recognizes that "we have a responsibility, and we have committed to doing what's right for the residents of East Palestine.
"We have been paying for the cleanup activities to date and will continue to do so. We are committed to thoroughly and safely cleaning the site, and we are reimbursing residents for the disruption this has caused in their lives.
"We are investing in helping East Palestine thrive for the long-term, and we will continue to be in the community for as long as it takes. We are going to learn from this terrible accident and work with regulators and elected officials to improve railroad safety."
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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