EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — At a roundtable discussion, Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw emphasized the company’s commitment to “do the right thing” in the aftermath of a fiery Feb. 3 train derailment that upended the lives of many residents in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. Mr. Shaw hosted the roundtable Thursday afternoon at East Palestine’s Centenary United Methodist Church to shed light on the company’s response to the hazardous trail derailment just over the Pennsylvania border.

Mr. Shaw also discussed Norfolk Southern’s long-term community support plans, announced Tuesday, to address health, property value and water quality concerns. The company’s plans came after Ohio Attorney General David Yost filed a federal lawsuit to hold Norfolk accountable for its role in the derailment.

“I said at the very beginning that I want to do the right things today, tomorrow, a year from now, five years from now,” Mr. Shaw said. “So when we look back on this, the citizens of East Palestine know, and the surrounding communities know, that Norfolk Southern was here.”

- snip -

On Thursday in East Palestine, he said the community-support plan is a reflection of the feedback he and the company have received from locals. Part of the effort is creating a medical compensation fund, as well as protection for home sellers if their property loses value due to the derailment. Mr. Shaw did not specify which areas would be eligible for compensation, but said he is confident that it would cover “some parts of Pennsylvania.”