Buttigieg warns Norfolk Southern

WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sent a letter Sunday to the CEO of Norfolk Southern, warning that the freight rail company must “demonstrate unequivocal support for the people” of East Palestine, Ohio, and surrounding areas after a fiery train derailment led to the release of chemicals and residents expressing concerns about their health.

“Norfolk Southern must live up to its commitment to make residents whole — and must also live up to its obligation to do whatever it takes to stop putting communities such as East Palestine at risk,” Buttigieg wrote.

“This is the right time for Norfolk Southern to take a leadership position within the rail industry, shifting to a posture that focuses on supporting, not thwarting, efforts to raise the standard of U.S. rail safety regulation.”

Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine said Friday that the chemicals that spilled into the Ohio River are no longer a risk.

Peter Decarlo, a professor of environmental health and engineering at Johns Hopkins University, told ABC News on Sunday that more testing is needed to determine which chemicals are present.

“We just don’t have the information we need to understand what chemicals may be present,” Decarlo said. “We know it started as vinyl chloride, but as soon as you burn that all bets are off. You have a lot of chemical byproducts that can happen from a combustion process like that.”

Asked if he would move back to East Palestine if he were already living there, Decarlo said: “I have two little boys. I would not.”

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw issued a statement Saturday that he “returned to East Palestine today to meet with local leaders, first responders, and a group of Norfolk Southern employees who live in the area.”

“In every conversation today, I shared how deeply sorry I am this happened to their home,” Shaw said.