Key takeaways:
- Alan Shaw, CEO of Norfolk Southern Railway, is set to appear before the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee to address the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
- Norfolk Southern’s corporate PAC has donated more than $375,000 to members of the Senate committee.
- The hearing comes as the company faces mounting scrutiny and is the latest in a spate of accidents involving the rail company.
Norfolk Southern Railway CEO Alan Shaw is set to appear before the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee on Thursday to address the Feb. 3 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The derailment caused a toxic chemical spill and evacuation of the area.
In his written testimony, Shaw expressed his deep regret for the impact of the derailment on the people of East Palestine and neighboring communities, and promised to make it right. He also stated that the company will safely clean up the site.
The hearing comes as the company faces mounting scrutiny, and as it is revealed that Norfolk Southern’s corporate PAC has donated more than $375,000 to members of the Senate committee. A review of Federal Election Commission records dating back to 2000 shows that seven of the nine Republicans and four of the 10 Democrats who sit on the EPW Committee have cashed campaign checks from the PAC.
The derailment in East Palestine is only the latest in a spate of accidents involving the rail company. It is unclear what action the Senate committee will take, but the hearing is sure to be a tense one as Shaw faces questions about the company’s safety record and clean-up efforts.
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