An apologetic and committed Norfolk Southern CEO appeared before the Ohio Senate’s Select Committee on rail safety.
“I want to begin today by expressing how deeply sorry I am for the impact the derailment in East Palestine has had on the people of the area and how deeply committed I am to making this right,” CEO of Norfolk Southern Alan Shaw said.
He spoke of the ongoing cleanup and the 27-thousand tons of impacted soil that has been removed. He also spoke of his near-weekly visits to the community and his personal contribution of $450,000 in scholarship money to the children of East Palestine.
Shaw promised to push for rail safety.
“And I’m going to express a full-throated endorsement for many of the safety provisions that are in the Vance-Brown bill and in the Johnson-Sykes bill. I’m going to take an industry-leading role here to continue to advance safety in the rail industry.”
He said he supports tougher tank car standards, advanced notification of first responders, and increased investment in hotbox detectors. However, he has been on record opposing the two-man crew requirement.
Senator J.D. Vance tells News 5 about how he plans to move forward with his legislation with Senator Sherrod Brown.
“This legislation, while it’s maybe moving slow by the standards of the private sector world that I came from, I think it’s moving at a lightning pace here in Washington, D.C.”
Vance expects a markup on the bill, the last step before going to the full senate by sometime in May. Senator Sherrod Brown tells News 5 Democrats who control the Senate will usher it forward.
"Senator Schumer, the majority leader, supports it publicly and talks to me about it and then President Biden, once it gets through the house will sign it.”
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