Speaking to reporters near the derailment site, Norfolk Southern's CEO promised the company would do what's necessary to ensure the long-term health of the community and become a "safer railroad."
EPA used its authority under the federal Superfund law to order Norfolk Southern to take all available measures to clean up contaminated air and water, and also said the company would be required to reimburse the federal government for a new program to provide cleaning services for impacted residents and businesses.
"In no way, shape or form will Norfolk Southern get off the hook for the mess they created," EPA Administrator Michael Regan vowed at a news conference in East Palestine. "I know this order cannot undue the nightmare that families in this town have been living with, but it will begin to deliver much-needed justice for the pain that Norfolk Southern has caused."
He warned that if Norfolk Southern fails to comply, the agency will perform the work itself and seek triple damages from the company.
EPA planned to release more details on the cleanup service for residents and businesses, which it said would "provide an additional layer of reassurance."
The agency said its order marked the end of the "emergency" phase of the Feb. 3 derailment and the beginning of long-term remediation phase in the East Palestine area.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw reiterated promises to restore the site and invest in the community.
"From day one, I've made the commitment that Norfolk Southern is going to remediate the site, we're going to do continuous long-term air and water monitoring, we're going to help the residents of this community recover, and we're going to invest in the long-term health of this community. And we're going to make Norfolk Southern a safer railroad," he told reporters.
EPA's move to compel Norfolk Southern to clean up came nearly three weeks after more than three dozen freight cars -- including 11 carrying hazardous materials -- derailed on the outskirts of East Palestine, near the Pennsylvania state line, prompting an evacuation as fears grew about a potential explosion of smoldering wreckage.
Officials seeking to avoid the danger of an uncontrolled blast chose to intentionally release and burn toxic vinyl chloride from five rail cars, sending flames and black smoke again billowing high into the sky. That left people questioning the potential health impacts for residents in the area and beyond, even as authorities maintained they were doing their best to protect people.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine assured residents that they will not be left to handle the aftermath on their own once the news cameras leave and public attention turns elsewhere.
"We understand that it's not just about today, it's not just about two weeks from now," he said. "People have long-term concerns. and we're going to do everything we can to stay at this."
Already, 4,600 yards of contaminated soil and 1.1 million gallons of contaminated water have been removed, DeWine said. But he said Norfolk Southern had failed to address the contaminated soil underneath its tracks before repairing them and running freight again. He said the company would have to take the tracks back up and remove the soil.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro blasted Norfolk Southern over what he called its "failed management of this crisis," saying the company chose not to take part in a unified incident command, and provided inaccurate information and conflicting modeling data.
"The combination of Norfolk Southern's corporate greed, incompetence, and lack of concern for our residents is absolutely unacceptable to me," said Shapiro, appearing at the news conference in East Palestine with Regan, DeWine and other officials.
Shapiro said his administration had made a criminal referral of Norfolk Southern to the Pennsylvania attorney general's office, while DeWine said Ohio's attorney general had also launched an investigation.
EPA said it has tested indoor air quality at 550 homes so far, with outside air being monitored via aircraft, mobile vans and stationary instruments. "I feel very confident in the technology that we've deployed," he said.
Still, Regan said he is not sure if EPA is testing for dioxin, a carcinogen, as some lawmakers and advocates have requested.
Under the so-called Superfund law, EPA has authority to direct those responsible for contamination or hazardous waste to clean it up. EPA can fine the railway up to US$70,000 a day if the work is not completed. EPA can also do the work itself if necessary and bill Norfolk Southern triple its costs.
Separately, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a package of reforms on Tuesday and called on railroad operators to take immediate steps to improve safety, such as accelerating the planned upgrade of tank cars.
"From day one, I've made the commitment that Norfolk Southern is going to remediate the site, we're ging to do continous long-term air and water monitoring, we're going to help the residents of this community recover, and we're going to invest in the long-term health of this community. And we're going to make Norfolk Southern a safer railroad."
Rubinkam reported from northeastern Pennsylvania. AP writer Matthew Daly in Washington contributed to this report.
Hurricane Milton is a Category 5 storm forecast to bring extreme flooding, high winds and heavy rain to the central west coast of Florida.
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are being recalled in Canada due to a steering-related issue that could increase a driver's risk of crash.
COVID-19 could be a powerful risk factor for heart attacks and strokes for as long as three years after an infection, a large new study suggests.
The federal government introduced a number of measures related to housing on Tuesday, which include measures for homeowners wanting to add a secondary suite, taxing vacant land and building homes in place of underused federal properties.
An organization that ranks the best universities across the globe says its latest report shows a concerning trend that several of Canada’s institutions are slipping down its list.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States, with 42,000 women dying every year from this cancer.
Hurricane Milton churned Wednesday toward a potentially catastrophic collision along the west coast of Florida, where some residents insisted they would stay after millions were ordered to evacuate and officials warned that stragglers would face grim odds of surviving.
Andrew Garfield’s ability to so lovingly and poetically express his grief for his mother, Linda, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2019, offers a gift of connection, and, perhaps, catharsis, to anyone experiencing loss.
Amazon has just launched a new service in Canada where delivery drivers can drop packages off directly in garages for those who want to protect their parcels from being swiped by porch pirates.
Another beluga whale has died at Marineland and four years into a provincial probe, Ontario's solicitor general is saying little about the investigation's progress.
More than two weeks have passed since Hassan Ali walked out of a Toronto courtroom a free man, after prosecutors decided not to move forward with a first-degree murder trial against the local rapper.
On September 11, Madeleine Gervais was the victim of a theft in Ottawa's west end. It happened in the Loblaws parking lot in College Square, when she was approached by a man and a woman who insisted to help her load her groceries into her car.
A British Columbia provincial court judge says a Boston Bar man who shot a teacup Chihuahua named Bear claiming it was menacing his chickens was not justified in killing the animal.
As the war in Gaza escalates, Nabila Manna watches from her home with feelings of fear and helplessness. Her mother, siblings, and extended family are all in Gaza.
An organization that ranks the best universities across the globe says its latest report shows a concerning trend that several of Canada’s institutions are slipping down its list.
Hurricane Milton churned Wednesday toward a potentially catastrophic collision along the west coast of Florida, where some residents insisted they would stay after millions were ordered to evacuate and officials warned that stragglers would face grim odds of surviving.
A large-scale Israeli operation in northern Gaza has killed and wounded dozens of people and threatens to shut down three hospitals over a year into the war with Hamas, Palestinian officials and residents said Wednesday.
Palestinian residents of the occupied West Bank share their stories of what life is like amid settler violence in the area.
The FBI has arrested an Afghan man who officials say was inspired by the Islamic State and was plotting an Election Day attack targeting large crowds in the U.S., the Justice Department said Tuesday.
A federal judge on Tuesday declined to grant an immediate order sought by some New Hampshire parents to allow them to wear pink wristbands with 'XX' on them at girls high school soccer games to protest transgender girls playing.
Sin City blew a kiss goodbye to the Tropicana before first light Wednesday in an elaborate implosion that reduced to rubble the last true mob building on the Las Vegas Strip.
Nathalie Drouin, the prime minister's national security and intelligence adviser, is scheduled to appear today at a federal inquiry into foreign interference.
The federal government introduced a number of measures related to housing on Tuesday, which include measures for homeowners wanting to add a secondary suite, taxing vacant land and building homes in place of underused federal properties.
The minority Liberal government is not considering proroguing Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday, despite persisting uncertainty over who is willing to keep propping them up and procedural wrangling over a Conservative led-privilege debate.
COVID-19 could be a powerful risk factor for heart attacks and strokes for as long as three years after an infection, a large new study suggests.
The Ontario Ministry of Health says four people have been sickened after consuming beef tongue believed to be contaminated with listeria.
One in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States, with 42,000 women dying every year from this cancer.
The Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded Wednesday to three scientists for their breakthrough work predicting and even designing the structure of proteins, the building blocks of life.
The Brazilian Supreme Court's Justice Alexandre de Moraes on Tuesday authorized the restoration of social media platform X´s service in Brazil, over a month after its nationwide shutdown, according to a statement posted on the court's website.
Geoffrey Hinton, the British Canadian computer scientist whose machine learning discoveries have proved so profound he's known as the 'godfather of AI,' has won the Nobel Prize in physics.
Jenna Fischer is highlighting Breast Cancer Awareness Month by sharing that she is now 'cancer free' after she was diagnosed with the disease in October 2023.
Andrew Garfield’s ability to so lovingly and poetically express his grief for his mother, Linda, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2019, offers a gift of connection, and, perhaps, catharsis, to anyone experiencing loss.
Sum 41 lead singer Deryck Whibley alleges in his new memoir that he was pressured into a secret sexual relationship with his former manager, Treble Charger frontman Greig Nori.
A new report says condo inventory is on the rise in most major Canadian markets as more sellers are listing their properties in anticipation of growing demand from buyers.
Amazon has just launched a new service in Canada where delivery drivers can drop packages off directly in garages for those who want to protect their parcels from being swiped by porch pirates.
The U.S. Department of Justice is considering asking a federal judge to force Google to sell parts of its business in order to eliminate its online search monopoly.
An elevator mechanic mistakenly threw out a piece of artwork, made to look like empty beer cans, assuming it was litter, a Dutch museum revealed earlier this month.
Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.
A wildlife rescue in B.C. is caring for two orphaned bobcat kittens who have become as inseparable as 'real sisters' even though it's highly unlikely they are actually from the same litter.
Saskatchewan’s Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).
The NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning have left Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton to practice the rest of the week.
RJ Barrett will miss the rest of the Toronto Raptors' pre-season with an injury.
Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are being recalled in Canada due to a steering-related issue that could increase a driver's risk of crash.
Mercedes-Benz has partnered up with the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) and the provincial government to launch a new “incubator program”. One of the first three locations is Windsor, with the other two going to Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo.
New data from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) shows that even though claims for auto theft dropped in the first half of 2024 compared to their 2023 peak, the rates of reported theft remain well above those of years prior.
Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.
Saskatchewan’s Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).
A B.C. couple is getting desperate – and creative – in their search for their missing dog.
Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.
A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.
Bernie Hicks, known as the ‘Batman of Amherst,’ always wanted to sit in a Batmobile until a kind stranger made it happen.
Bubi’s Awesome Eats, located on University Ave West took to social media to announce the closure on Friday.
Weeneebayko Area Health Authority and the Government of Ontario have awarded a $1.8 billion fixed-price contract to design, build and finance a new Far North hospital.
Manitobans are in cleanup mode after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province this weekend.
The leaders of B.C.'s main political parties sparred over health care, housing, and affordability Tuesday, pitching competing visions for how to address the most urgent issues facing the province in a debate punctuated by a few feisty exchanges.
Some sparks flew during Tuesday night’s televised leaders’ debate between David Eby, John Rustad and Sonia Furstenau, as the trio had impassioned conversations about the issues that are on many British Columbians’ minds ahead of election night, including housing, health care, the cost of living and public safety.
An open letter signed by 23 doctors and one nurse practitioner in B.C.’s Lower Mainland highlights their concerns about the potential for cuts to the health-care system if John Rustad’s Conservatives form government after this month’s provincial election.
Amazon has just launched a new service in Canada where delivery drivers can drop packages off directly in garages for those who want to protect their parcels from being swiped by porch pirates.
Another beluga whale has died at Marineland and four years into a provincial probe, Ontario's solicitor general is saying little about the investigation's progress.
Four people have been transported to hospital following a collision near Toronto’s Forest Hill neighbourhood early Wednesday morning, paramedics say.
An Airdrie resident is facing several charges after police say they were caught in possession of several stolen vehicles.
Calgary police are searching for a suspect or suspects in a stabbing that occurred in the city's southeast on Tuesday evening.
After reaching peak intensity with wind speeds of 180 m.p.h. (285 km/h) on Monday night, Milton became the strongest storm on our planet for 2024.
As thousands of Canadians are on the hunt for deals during Amazon Prime Day this week, cybersecurity experts are sounding the alarm over an increase in fraudsters posing as the company online.
The Ottawa Police Service (OPS) is asking the public for help in identifying a suspect involved with a mischief incident that happened last month in the neighbourhood of Sandy Hill.
Lower than normal temperatures and showers are in the forecast for Ottawa this Wednesday.
Quebec chicken chain St-Hubert is entering the 'value menu wars' by offering a series of cheaper options for lunch and freezing prices on its main courses.
The Quebec government is facing criticism for a program that paid students to learn a construction skill -- as less than half the graduates are certified to work in the industry.
One of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s key advisers and the driving force behind the province’s recovery-focused addiction treatment policy is leaving the job.
The grind begins Wednesday for the Edmonton Oilers, but their head coach isn't trying to look too far ahead as the National Hockey League (NHL) team tries to reach the Stanley Cup Final as it did last season.
A private firefighting service provider says crews contracted to work to protect buildings in and around the town of Jasper during July's wildfire emergency were denied entry to the national park for most of a day.
International award-winning editorial cartoonist Michael de Adder has been cut from the Halifax Chronicle Herald.
Hurricane Milton is a Category 5 storm forecast to bring extreme flooding, high winds and heavy rain to the central west coast of Florida.
A labour investigator has agreed with federal fishery officers that heavily armed criminals pose a threat to their lives and has ordered managers to take steps immediately to reduce the danger.
Concerns are being raised over a questionable PC campaign expense, after an invoice for a car rental was submitted by a company advertising sex and intimacy coaching.
There’s a new starting line-up at Canada Life Centre, which hockey fans and concertgoers will notice as soon as they walk in.
Manitoba RCMP and the Winnipeg Police Service are launching Manitoba's Most Wanted website.
Erin Folk and her family are dealing with a nightmare of a situation, after their pet dogs were shot last week.
The John Howard Society of Saskatchewan (JHSS) appeared in the Supreme Court of Canada Tuesday challenging a regulation that it says lets provincial correctional workers discipline inmates without sufficient proof.
A memo from the Saskatchewan Government Employees Union (SGEU) has painted a picture of healthcare workers on the brink – with under-staffing and burnout directly impacting quality of patient care within the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA).
Fire crews were called to respond to Mohawk Plaza shortly before 2 a.m. Tuesday.
The future of a hybrid shelter in Waterloo is up for discussion.
An app developed at the University of Guelph is aimed at making accessible doors more accessible.
The province’s consumer watchdog is investigating a Saskatoon company selling luxury vacation condos in Mexico.
In the wake of a near-fatal overdose at the doorstep of Saskatoon’s safe consumption site last week, the province’s political leaders are weighing in with their strategies to help those struggling with drug addiction.
A Saskatoon mom is desperately fighting eviction after she discovered mould in her suite and reported it to her landlord.
Plans are on track for the proposed events centre in downtown Sudbury, city council heard the latest update on the major project Tuesday night.
Highway 144 is reopened north of Sudbury after a two-vehicle collision between a commercial and passenger vehicle happened around 1 p.m. Tuesday, police say.
Hurricane Milton is a Category 5 storm forecast to bring extreme flooding, high winds and heavy rain to the central west coast of Florida.
Hurricane Milton is a Category 5 storm forecast to bring extreme flooding, high winds and heavy rain to the central west coast of Florida.
Drivers and businesses along Wellington Street in London’s downtown area continue to feel the pain as the city works on the downtown loop for the bus rapid transit project (BRT).
City hall’s restoration of the People and the City monument has been stalled since early 2022, and a plan to resume the project next spring requires more money.
A person remains in serious condition in hospital after being shot during a gas station robbery.
A 20-year-old man who was behind the wheel of a speeding car that struck and killed an international student in Barrie last summer pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death on Tuesday but will not spend any time behind bars.
Funding for rural and Indigenous communities battling homelessness is on the horizon.
Hurricane Milton is a Category 5 storm forecast to bring extreme flooding, high winds and heavy rain to the central west coast of Florida.
In February, council voted to convert the property into new high-density housing — meaning the new development would have a minimum of 109 units.
Several cars are being pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor.
The leaders of B.C.'s main political parties sparred over health care, housing, and affordability Tuesday, pitching competing visions for how to address the most urgent issues facing the province in a debate punctuated by a few feisty exchanges.
Some sparks flew during Tuesday night’s televised leaders’ debate between David Eby, John Rustad and Sonia Furstenau, as the trio had impassioned conversations about the issues that are on many British Columbians’ minds ahead of election night, including housing, health care, the cost of living and public safety.
A retrial date has been set for a man accused of fatally shooting a rival gang member and an innocent teen passerby in Vancouver in 2018.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.
NDP Leader David Eby is promising to offer a $75-million loan forgiveness program to entice doctors, nurses and heath professionals to expand health-care services in rural British Columbia.
Charges have been laid against a 44-year-old man following a traffic stop in Brocket, Piikani Nation RCMP said Tuesday.
A metal fabrication company west of Medicine Hat has been fined by Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) following a workplace fatality in 2023.
A Lethbridge police officer involved in a scandal involving former Lethbridge New Democrat MLA Shannon Phillips has been reprimanded.
A woman in Greater Sudbury, Ont., said "It doesn't get more Canadian than this" when she spotted a black bear dumpster diving at a Tim Hortons last month.
The Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) is the latest organization to call on the Doug Ford government to re-open dialogue with an airline service that transports lower-income Canadians to crucial medical care far from home.
For decades, Mississauga First Nation has known that human remains from their land were at the Canadian Museum of History.
A Conservative MP from Newfoundland and Labrador says some small towns in his rural riding are overrun with crime, but police say they haven't received reports to that effect.
As millions in federal funding flow into a Labrador group whose claims of Inuit identity have been rejected by Indigenous organizations across Canada, a national Inuit leader worries the Liberal government is putting the rights of Indigenous Peoples at risk.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
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