Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testifies before Pa. Senate committee for first time
HARRISBURG (KDKA) -- Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw testified before the state Senate Emergency Preparedness Committee in Harrisburg where he, once again, apologized for the derailment in East Palestine.
But as KDKA money editor Jon Delano reports, his statement was treated skeptically by some state senators.
Shaw told Pennsylvania state senators he was sorry.
"I want to begin today by expressing how deeply sorry I am for the impact this derailment has had on the citizens of East Palestine and the communities of western Pennsylvania," Shaw told the state Senate committee on Monday.
"I was disappointed," state Sen. Lindsey Williams said on Tuesday. "He didn't have a lot of answers. He spouted the same talking point a bunch of times. He started with an apology, which is great, but for me, that's meaningless unless there's action and steps for tomorrow."
Williams, a North Hills Democrat on the Preparedness Committee, questioned Shaw about whistleblower protections for railroad workers and their ability to stop an unsafe train.
Williams: "Can a worker stop or slow down a train without permission?"
Shaw: "Senator, we expect that if we see that a train is unsafe that we stop that train."
Williams: "Can they stop it without permission?"
Shaw: "Senator, I would have to share with you the exact policies to which you are referring."
Williams says railroads need a culture that empowers workers to report and act to protect public safety.
"The fact that he could not answer whether or not a worker could stop a train without permission if they know that something is wrong – that's really scary," says Williams.
State Sen. Elder Vogel, a Republican who represents the areas affected by the East Palestine derailment, says he's been pleased by the state and federal response, and he's confident government will hold Norfolk Southern accountable.
Delano: "Do you have confidence that Norfolk Southern will really make people whole in this part of your district?"
Vogel: "I'm hoping so. I'm hopeful like everyone else is hopeful ... They're going to have to do the right thing, whether they really want to do the right thing the whole time or not. There're enough people going to hold them to it between the state and the federal government. It will be painful for them, I think, but they'll be forced to do the right thing."
Whatever Alan Shaw says or doesn't say in these hearings, state officials think the railroad will end up taking care of losses experienced by local residents well into the future.