Norfolk Southern Corp. is facing criticism about the amount of financial support it has given East Palestine, Ohio, in the wake of the train derailment that spewed toxic chemicals and forced residents to leave their homes for several days.

As locals seek answers about whether the air is safe to breathe, the railroad company announced a $1 million fund for the affected community. Norfolk Southern NSC has also distributed more than $1.7 million in direct financial support to “more than 1,000 residents” and a “number of businesses,” and donated $25,000 to the Red Cross, the company said.

The state’s Republican governor, Mike DeWine, said Norfolk Southern’s financial gestures aren’t yet sufficient. “The governor expects Norfolk Southern to make the residents of East Palestine whole,” a spokesman for DeWine said. “He does not view what has been done to date as having completed that obligation. We intend to hold the company’s feet to the fire to continue to remediate the site and make citizens whole.”

Some observers have pointed out that Norfolk Southern’s value, which was $53 billion as of Friday, far eclipses donations the company has made since the Feb. 3 disaster. CNN anchor Jake Tapper on Wednesday noted the disparity between Norfolk Southern’s $1.3 billion quarterly income and the $1 million the company set aside for local families. Norfolk Southern did not immediately respond to a request for comment on criticisms of its donations.

Sediment Washing

The process of sediment washing has begun in both Sulphur Run and Leslie Run.

Much of the contamination remaining in these waterways is attached to the sediment in the creek beds, which is why contaminants can be seen rising to the surface of the water when the ground beneath the water is disturbed.

A private contractor has finished the first round of sediment washing, and the second round started today. The process involves disturbing the sediment to release the contaminants to the surface of the water, and the contaminants are then removed from the water by vacuum trucks.

Additional rounds of sediment washing may take place in the future.

Contaminated Waste Removal

Following a one-day pause of waste removal ordered by the U.S. EPA, Norfolk Southern has resumed removing contaminated soil and liquid from the train derailment site. The U.S. EPA today also identified Ross Incineration Services in Grafton, Ohio, and Heritage Environmental Services in Roachdale, Indiana, as licensed hazardous waste disposal facilities that can take contaminated waste from the derailment site.

Solid Waste...

Former President Donald Trump slammed Fox News for not doing more to stand up for the validity of its false "voter fraud" claims in the $1.6 billion Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit, in a furious rant on his Truth Social platform on Tuesday.

"There was so much Voter Fraud & Irregularities in the 2020 Presidential Election that it amazes me how weak and ineffective FoxNews is at portraying itself in the lawsuit against them," wrote Trump. "They look too scared and frightened to reveal the massive amounts of voter fraud & Irregularities already found, and it would actually help them in the lawsuit. Instead FoxNews wants to silence its anchors and reporters, the reason so many of their viewers fled. The Election was that of a Third World Country!"

There is no evidence whatsoever to support the claim that the 2020 presidential election had any meaningful amount of fraud or irregularities.

There is also no evidence that Dominion rigged, or allowed the rigging of, its voting equipment, which Fox News allowed its guests to claim despite internal communications showing Fox's executives and top on-air personalities knew the election was secure and legitimate.