EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – A few days ahead of the two-year anniversary of the Norfolk Southern train derailment that devastated East Palestine, Mayor Trent Conaway said he wants to see the village remain strong, vibrant and thriving for generations to come.

The village and the railroad reached a $22 million agreement earlier this week, and during a Friday news conference, Conaway said the “settlement marks both a step towards closure and a turning point in our community’s ongoing recovery and revitalization.” 

The mayor also spoke of the importance of stretching those funds as far as possible.

“We weren’t in the best situation before the train derailment, and I truly think that after this, if we work together as a community, we will be stronger,” Conaway said. “We want to ensure that we are not defined by the derailment. There is definitely a stigma, and we want to show our resilience by the ability to rebuild.”

Visiting the Village

The Feb. 3, 2023, derailment and subsequent vent and burn of vinyl chloride inside five rail cars put the Columbiana County community of fewer than 4,700 in the national spotlight. And although the attention faded, it’ll return Monday.

Vice President JD Vance plans to visit the village, according to several sources. The former U.S. senator from Ohio visited East Palestine multiple times after the derailment.

Vance will be joined by U.S. Sens. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, and Jon Husted, R-Ohio, as well as Gov. Mike DeWine and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.

Then U.S. Sen. JD Vance speaks during a visit to East Palestine on Feb. 16, 2023.

Moreno issued a statement Friday to announce the visit:

“I couldn’t be prouder to visit East Palestine with Vice President Vance and I look forward to working hand-in-hand with the Trump administration to ensure the Ohio residents whose lives were upended two years ago will have the support they need,” he said.

During Friday’s press conference, Conaway expressed concerns about the lack of action on the Rail Safety Act, which Vance co-sponsored, the political aspects that have surrounded the derailment and the way the village has become so divided over the past two years.

“The Rail Safety Act is being held up in Congress, and I think it’s despicable,” Conaway said.  

Although Conaway was invited and has spoken at political events, including the Republican National Convention, he said he wishes there had been a way to keep politics out of the derailment’s aftermath.

The mayor said he is also concerned about how long it has taken for money to be distributed to residents involved in Norfolk Southern’s $600 million settlement, which he reiterated the village has nothing to do with. That settlement is separate from the village’s recent $22 million agreement with the railroad.

“At first I was advised, sort of keep my opinion to myself, because the village [wasn’t] part of that settlement. But, you know, I live in this town too, just like everybody else. And I think it’s clearly ridiculous,” Conaway said of the payment delays.

He said from what he understands, Norfolk Southern paid the money, and the delay is in its administration.

“Our citizens of town, of Unity Township, Columbiana County, I think Mahoning County, Beaver County, they deserve better,” Conaway said.

Payments regarding property damage are on hold while appeals are being addressed, and personal injury claims are being disbursed slowly. Many in the village have yet to receive any verification of how much they will receive.

Other residents and businesses are part of additional lawsuits, some filed and some in the process of being filed, as the two-year deadline to file personal injury claims in Ohio and Pennsylvania nears.

About the Settlement

East Palestine settled its lawsuit against Norfolk Southern for $22 million and the completion of the $25 million community park project, which is behind schedule.

The village and the railroad agreed to scrap a plan to create and operate a regional safety training center in the village. The railroad agreed to transfer ownership of about 15 acres acquired for the training center for another productive use to be determined by the village.

“No decisions have been made yet, but we are committed to ensuring the land serves a meaningful purpose for our community,” Conaway said.

They mayor said cutting the regional safety training center was a very hard decision because the concept was promising, but it would have placed “an unsustainable burden” on the village. Earlier this month, fire chief Keith Drabick reported that the $20 million regional safety training center was still to be built.

The completion of a $25 million community park project was part of a settlement between the village and Norfolk Southern.

The settlement also recognized an additional $13.5 million that Norfolk has already paid the village. That money was used to cover the cost of replacement of fire and police vehicles and equipment, improvements to the water treatment plant and renovation of the outside of the historic train depot.

Overall, Conaway said Norfolk Southern will have contributed $60 million toward village projects as laid out by the settlement.

Looking back on the past two years, Conaway said he wishes the village had been able to communicate better to provide information in a transparent way, which has improved since the hiring of a public relations company. 

After the derailment, much of the information was relayed through social media, which he said has a “generational gap” that kept some out of the loop. He also suggested everyone should sign up for the Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency WENS alerts, which will send emergency evacuation notices and other information directly to a mobile device.

Spending the Money

While Village Council will make the final decision about how the settlement money will be spent, Conaway suggested perhaps a place can be set up on the village’s website where residents can offer suggestions.

“We’re open to definitely hearing how the money should be spent,” Conaway said. “But we also don’t want to just go spend it and next year not have anything. We want the money to last and help us with future endeavors that we have down the road. So, I mean, this is a great thing financially that’s come to the village, and we need to exhaust our efforts to make sure that it’s sustainable.”

He said he would like to see it go toward economic development, and he mentioned that behind the scenes the village is working to collaborate with the U.S. Department of Justice and the state of Ohio on a long-term health plan, which is still to come. Conaway said benefits regarding health concerns remain a state and federal issue.

Conaway wants to see work with an economic development firm help East Palestine return to a time when it thrived, decades before the derailment. Founded in 1828, East Palestine incorporated as a city in 1875.

“The past few years have tested us, but they have not defined us,” Conaway said. “What defines us is our strength, our determination and our commitment to moving forward together. Looking ahead, we envision the future of East Palestine that affects our values, strengthens our foundations and honors the hard-working people who call the village home.”

Pictured at top: East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway speaks during Friday’s news conference.