East Palestine Settles with Norfolk Southern for $22 Million Over 2023 Train Derailment

The agreement resolves all village claims related to the toxic spill, while Norfolk Southern commits to additional community investments.

The $22 million settlement concludes East Palestine's claims against Norfolk Southern stemming from the February 2023 train derailment that released hazardous chemicals.
Norfolk Southern has already paid $13.5 million to the village for infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to the water treatment plant and replacement of police and fire equipment.
The settlement reaffirms Norfolk Southern's $25 million commitment to improvements at East Palestine City Park and transfers 15 acres of land to the village for future use.
Plans for a regional safety training center in East Palestine have been abandoned, but Norfolk Southern will continue training first responders at other locations.
The derailment, caused by an overheated bearing undetected by monitoring systems, prompted regulatory scrutiny, but proposed rail safety reforms have not advanced in Congress.