“And when we recoup our total costs, we can charge them three times of the amount of the cost of the federal government. That is what the law provides.”
The order demands that the railroad company clean up every piece of debris, pay for all costs, and fully remediate the site. The company has already committed millions of dollars in financial assistance to East Palestine.
The ongoing cleanup efforts include removing contaminated soil and water from under the railroad tracks at the derailment site. The tracks will be lifted to remove that soil.
While a potential $70,000-a-day fine is possible. But records show Norfolk Southern reported a record $4.8 billion in income from railway operations last year.
Pennsylvania Governor announces criminal referral
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has announced a criminal referral against Norfolk Southern for providing inaccurate information after the incident.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is visiting East Palestine to show support for the affected community.
