Mike Carreon, Chairman of the Darlington Township Board of Supervisors (l), U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-17th District) and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) announce $3.6 million for Darlington Township to help build infrastructure to allow residents to connect to a public water supply, in Darlington Township, Beaver County, July 12, 2024 (Capital-Star photo)DARLINGTON — U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio on Friday criticized Norfolk Southern and renewed calls for the railroad to offer more support to people affected by the 2023 derailment in nearby East Palestine, Ohio. Casey and Deluzio spoke at Darlington Township Fire Hall, not far from the site of the 2023 derailment of rail cars, some of which were carrying toxic chemicals. Deluzio and Casey were in Darlington to announce a $3.66 million Community Funding grant, that will go toward helping to build infrastructure that will allow Darlington residents who want to, to connect to a public water supply via the Beaver Falls Municipal Authority. At present, residents of Darlington don’t have access to a public water source, instead relying on private wells, despite concerns about contamination from the derailment. “This is just the beginning of work that we have to continue to do,” in Darlington, Casey said. He pointed to companion railway safety bills that have stalled in the House and Senate despite bipartisan support. “Here we are all these months later, more than a year later, and they still have not come out in support of this legislation or anything reasonably similar to the legislation.”Norfolk Southern did not respond to a request for comment Friday. Residents in Darlington are still experiencing issues with their water more than a year after the derailment. Mike Carreon, Chairman of the Darlington Township Board of Supervisors said many are still drinking bottled water. On Feb. 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern train with about a dozen cars carrying vinyl chloride derailed near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. In the days that followed, local emergency officials vented and burned vinyl chloride, creating a black cloud of smoke over the surrounding area. The National Transportation Safety Board said in its final report on the derailment that evidence showed that the vent-and burn was not necessary despite Norfolk Southern officials at the scene insisting it was.As vinyl chloride burns, it breaks down into carbon monoxide and hydrogen chloride. Mixed with water, hydrogen chloride makes hydrochloric acid, which is toxic to fish. Officials estimated 3,500 fish in nearby waterways were killed in the days following the vent-and-burn. Norfolk Southern agreed to pay $310 million in a settlement with the federal government, to pay for violations of the Clean Water act and the costs of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s cleanup efforts at the scene of the derailment. In April, the railroad agreed to a $600 million settlement of a class action suit with residents and businesses. The company did not admit to any liability, wrongdoing or fault in the settlement, which would end all class action claims related to the derailment from residents within a 20-mile radius of the derailment site near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.In a report released in June, environmental researchers said the chemicals released in the aftermath of the derailment affected 16 states, precipitation and pollution data showed. The NTSB also accused Norfolk Southern of interfering with its investigation into the derailment and attempting to influence the outcome, which the railroad has disputed.“The NTSB chair called that conduct unconscionable, that they tried to undermine these investigations,” Deluzio said Friday. “I asked the question why; it seems to me they wanted to get their trains running again at the expense of our health and our safety. It’s unacceptable.”Speaking to reporters after Friday’s presentation, both Democrats also reiterated their support for President Joe Biden. The number of Democrats calling for the president to step aside as the nominee has grown, after Biden’s poor debate performance and amid questions about his fitness for the job. “I’ve been saying that, many times,” Casey said in response to a question about why he supported Biden staying in the race.The post Casey, Deluzio announce $3.66 million for public water supply in Darlington appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.First published by Pennsylvania Capital-Star.