A powerful Senate panel will hold a hearing Thursday on the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle call for answers and action in the wake of the disaster.
The hearing is taking place after the derailment of a Norfolk Southern train on February 3 that released toxic chemicals into the air, water and soil of East Palestine – an incident that has received national attention and fueled outcry among residents who have reported headaches, coughing and other ailments after the fiery crash.
The Senate Environment and Public Works committee will convene the hearing at 10 a.m. ET. The panel has announced a slate of witnesses, including Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw as well as several senators who represent Ohio and Pennsylvania.
The most high-profile witness at the hearing is expected to be Shaw.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday said in remarks on the floor that at the hearing he expects, “Mr. Shaw to lay out precisely what steps Norfolk Southern is taking to prevent future disasters like East Palestine.”
Citing the “number and significance of recent Norfolk Southern accidents,” federal investigators said Tuesday they will open a special investigation into the railway’s safety culture.
The company and other major freight railroads have vowed new safety measures in response to the toxic train wreck that ravaged the town of East Palestine. The railroads say they will revamp a hot bearing detector network. “Hot bearing” or “hot box” detectors use infrared sensors to record the temperatures of railroad bearings as trains pass by.
While Norfolk Southern has pledged more than $21 million so far in help for the communities affected by the derailment, that is only a small fraction of its profits, and the billions it is giving to shareholders through dividends and share…
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