DOJ Sues Rail Company Over Pollution From Ohio Derailment

Ron Fodo of Ohio EPA Emergency Response looks for signs of fish in Leslie Run creek and also agitates the water to check for chemicals that have settled at the bottom following a train derailment that is causing environmental concerns in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 20, 2023. Michael Swensen/Getty Images

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a civil lawsuit against Norfolk Southern Railway over the pollution caused in East Palestine, Ohio, by the Feb. 3 derailment of a train that was carrying hazardous materials.

The complaint (pdf), filed on March 31 in the Northern District of Ohio, seeks to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for “unlawfully polluting the nation’s waterways” and to ensure that the company foots the bill for the cleanup.