It's clear that the derailment of the Norfolk Southern train in East Palestine, Ohio, and the ensuing burning of highly toxic vinyl chloride is a momentous environmental disaster that the parent company needs to be held accountable for.
Vinyl chloride is a class A human carcinogen that causes horrifying cancers in the liver and other organs. When burned, it will produce hydrogen chloride, which causes acid rain. People's beloved pets are dying and the rivers are full of dead fish. And the company's response? Just $25,000 of aid for a town of 5,000.
Tell the Biden administration to make Norfolk Southern pay!
It was only a matter of time before a catastrophe like this occurred. Just last year, Norfolk Southern announced a $10 billion stock buyback program while they and the other big rail monopolies cut 45,000 jobs over the past six years, leaving their remaining crew overworked and pushed to the brink.
On top of that, they spent millions to successfully lobby the Trump administration to revoke Obama-era safety rules that would have improved the braking capabilities of America's long-neglected rail infrastructure.
This is a disaster of their own making — and they need to pay the price.
Hold the greedy railway company accountable for the toxic spill in Ohio!
