EAST PALESTINE, Ohio - The Ohio village upended by a freight train derailment and the intentional burning of some of the hazardous chemicals on board has invited affected residents to a town hall meeting Wednesday evening to discuss lingering questions.And there are still plenty — about the huge plumes of smoke, the persisting odors, the reports of sick or dead animals, the potential impact on drinking water, all the cleaning up.
Even as school has resumed and trains are rolling by again, things aren't the same.In and around East Palestine, near the Pennsylvania state line, people are asking whether the air and water around them is safe for people, pets and livestock.
They want assistance navigating the financial help the railroad offered hundreds of families who evacuated, and they want to know whether it will be held responsible for what happened.A sign welcomes visitors to the town of East Palestine on February 14, 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio. (Photo by Angelo Merendino/Getty Images) Rail operator Norfolk Southern announced Tuesday that it is also creating a $1 million charitable fund to help the community of some 4,700 people while continuing remediation work, including removing spilled contaminants from the ground and streams and monitoring air quality.READ MORE: What we know about the Ohio train derailment"We will be judged by our actions," Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan Shaw said in a statement.