A federal judge recently approved a $600 million settlement for residents affected by the Feb. 3 2023 Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which spilled hazardous chemicals, leaving the community in turmoil. Roughly 55,000 claims were filed, but critics argue the settlement isn’t enough to compensate for the health risks and losses many residents face. While some welcomed the payout, many feel that their government has failed them, especially compared to the billions of dollars spent overseas.
According to news reports, the settlement offers up to $70,000 per household for property damage and $25,000 per person for health issues, depending on their proximity to the derailment. However, some residents, such as Matt McCamus, feel the settlement is inadequate. He shared his frustration during an interview with Ben Bergquam, a correspondent with Real America’s Voice, WarRoom, and Frontline America who has been covering the aftermath of the derailment since the accident.
“Seventy thousand dollars doesn’t come close to making up for what we’ve lost,” McCamus told Bergquam recently. “I was making way more than that a year, and now I’ve had to live in a camper, a half hour away, for over a year.”
Bergquam, who has been following the East Palestine story and talking to the people who have lived there since the beginning, returned to the community recently to speak with residents he has met, many of whom voiced deep resentment toward the Biden-Harris administration.
Bergquam asked a gathering of locals, “How many of you feel like the federal government has abandoned you?” In response, hands shot up, echoing the widespread sentiment of neglect. “We’re spending billions of dollars overseas,” Bergquam continued, “while these people here are struggling to survive.”
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, described how the derailment had destroyed his livelihood. “I was a gas pipeline worker, but after the derailment, I developed severe heart failure. I lost my job and was never even told about it. Now, I’ve had no income for over a year. I’ve been left with nothing.” He, like many others, feels abandoned by a government that seems more concerned with foreign aid than taking care of its own citizens. “I’ve always believed you take care of your own people first,” he added. “And for them to send billions overseas while we’re left to rot is criminal.”
These sentiments were shared by many who attended Bergquam’s interview sessions. East Palestine residents expressed anger not just at the railroad, but at the federal government, which they believe has been complicit in failing to address their long-term health concerns.
According to CBS News the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had conducted tests following the derailment, but residents remain unconvinced. “We still don’t know the full impact of what we were breathing in,” said Linda Murphy, a resident featured in CBS’s documentary Toxic Fog. “We’ve been having unexplained symptoms, and we might not know the health effects for years.”
Residents also criticized the lawyers handling the settlement. Some, like Jami Wallace, felt coerced into accepting the deal. “These attorneys were bullying people, telling them they’d never get anything if they didn’t take the settlement. People felt backed into a corner,” Wallace said, reflecting a broader dissatisfaction with how the legal process has unfolded. Wallace and others who relocated during the cleanup may see deductions from their settlement payouts for temporary housing provided by the railroad, leaving them with even less compensation than expected.
Norfolk Southern has paid over $1 billion in cleanup costs and $108 million in assistance to the community. However, for many in East Palestine, the settlement feels like too little, too late. And while Norfolk Southern attempts to move forward, promising long-term commitment to the community, the federal government’s silence on additional aid has left a bitter taste in residents’ mouths.
As payments begin to be distributed, the people of East Palestine remain skeptical. They continue to feel abandoned by a government that seems more interested in international ventures than in addressing their suffering. “What’s happening here is an absolute disgrace,” Bergquam concluded. “This community has been failed, not just by Norfolk Southern, but by a government that has turned its back on them.”
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