East Palestine seeks recovery nearly three years after Norfolk Southern derailment

East Palestine, Ohio, is trying to revive its economy nearly three years after a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in February 2023 and authorities carried out a controlled burn of hazardous chemicals, an action federal safety regulators later said was unnecessary. Trains still pass close to the building where pet groomer Kari Brieck intends to move her business this year.

The derailment and the subsequent evacuations compounded long‑running economic decline in the town of about 4,700 after factory closures and the Covid‑19 downturn. Brieck used an $18,000 personal injury payment from Norfolk Southern to start her business; she has reported heart problems since the crash and said her son had a lymph node removed.

Village manager Antonio Diaz‑Guy, who left a logistics job to take the municipal post, has set up a local commercial permitting department to speed approvals and said five projects are being expedited, including an 85‑acre business park and a new brewpub. Some businesses did not return: entrepreneur Edwin Wang closed three firms and is suing Norfolk Southern for $500 million after mediation recently failed.

Norfolk Southern reached a $600 million class‑action settlement with residents and some businesses and agreed with federal agencies to pay more than $310 million to settle claims and cover costs, though Ohio’s attorney general declined to join the deal.

Key Topics

Business, Norfolk Southern, East Palestine, East Palestine Derailment, Union Pacific, Class Action Settlement