Ohio Derailment Cleanup

The US Environmental Protection Agency yesterday ordered rail company Norfolk Southern to clean up the contamination from the East Palestine, Ohio, train wreck. The move comes more than two weeks after emergency crews carried out a controlled burn of the leaked chemicals on the train, releasing toxic hydrogen chloride and phosgene gas over the area. Under what's commonly known as the Superfund law, the EPA directed Norfolk Southern to follow an approved remediation plan, which includes attending public meetings, sharing information publicly, and paying for cleaning services offered to residents and businesses. If Norfolk Southern fails to comply, the EPA warned it would perform the work itself and seek triple damages. About 8.3 million pounds of contaminated soil and 1.1 million gallons of contaminated water have been removed so far. See the EPA's latest response here. Separately, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced a package of reforms and said his department would begin inspecting train routes used to transport hazardous materials.