Justice Department sues Norfolk Southern over Ohio train derailment

The Department of Justice  on Thursday sued the rail operator involved with the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, for environmental damages. The DOJ is suing under the Clean Water Act. It alleges Norfolk Southern unlawfully polluted the nation’s waterways and should have to pay for the cleanup. A Texas disposal company so far has hauled about 9 million gallons of wastewater from the area to Houston. The railroad has already promised more than $20 million for recovery efforts in Ohio. 

Are the air and water safe? The government said the air and water in East Palestine are now safe, but residents are concerned about long-term effects. Seven government investigators sent to East Palestine experienced health symptoms including sore throats, headaches, coughing, and nausea, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed to CNN. The symptoms resolved within 24 hours, and the cause was unknown, the CDC said.

Dig deeper: Listen to Carolina Lumetta’s report on The World and Everything in It podcast about what it’s like in East Palestine.