Summary

On November 15, 2007, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NS), a shipping and transportation company, pleaded no contest to Pennsylvania State and McKean County environmental charges and agreed to pay $7.35 million to settle civil charges related to a high–speed train derailment that spilled caustic chemicals into a northwestern Pennsylvania waterway.

In July 2007, NS and Michael Seifert, a company train engineer, were both charged with various State and county charges related to the June 2006 train derailment that spilled 42,000 gallons of sodium hydroxide waste into the soil, wetlands, and waters of two counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. The Federal Rail Administration (FRA) investigation determined that the NS freight train crew failed to apply air brakes after cresting a hill. Shortly after the accident, NS dismissed Mr. Seifert and the train’s conductor, Stevan Rogers. The case is being investigated jointly with FRA, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.