The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. May 24, 2024 Norfolk Southern Will Pay $15 Million Clean Water Act Fine for East Palestine Disaster -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Norfolk Southern will pay the government a $15 million fine for last year's derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which caused a massive explosion and the release of toxic chemicals. Norfolk Southern also agreed to spend $500 million to complete safety improvements and address health concerns in the affected communities. Last month, the company settled a $600 million class-action settlement with East Palestine residents. EPA Administrator Michael Regan said the fine is the largest permitted under the Clean Water Act, but residents blasted it as a "slap on the wrist." .