Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw instructed CNBC he thinks it is secure for households to return to East Palestine, Ohio, almost three weeks after poisonous chemical compounds had been launched following a practice derailment earlier this month.

Requested by CNBC’s Morgan Brennan whether or not he’d convey his kids to the city, Shaw stated: “Sure, sure, I’ve come again a number of instances. I am consuming the water right here. I’ve interacted with the households right here.”

The corporate can even proceed to assist residents of the city, as effectively, Shaw stated.

On Feb. 3, a Norfolk Southern freight practice carrying hazardous chemical compounds derailed, igniting a dayslong fireplace. The environmental magnitude of the derailment may stay unknown for years and extra testing could also be required. Officers have stated air ranges are secure and the city’s water is freed from dangerous ranges of contaminants, though residents have expressed skepticism about these assurances.

“Our focus proper now’s on environmental remediation, cleansing up this web site, continuous air monitoring, water monitoring, monetary help to the residents of this neighborhood, and investing on this neighborhood in order that the neighborhood in East Palestine can thrive,” Shaw stated in an interview that aired Tuesday.

Earlier Tuesday, the federal Environmental Safety Company ordered the corporate to deal with and pay for all cleanup efforts. It can require Norfolk Southern to wash any contaminated soil and water assets, reimburse the EPA for cleansing providers and take part in public conferences on the EPA’s request.

An organization spokesperson instructed CNBC Norfolk Southern has been in communication with the company and in compliance with its requests because the incident.

Three days after the derailment, the corporate’s impartial advisor and the Ohio EPA really useful unified command for a managed launch to burn off poisonous chemical compounds, together with recognized carcinogens.

“The truth that we knew at the moment that the strain reduction valves on the automobiles had failed, temperatures had been rising, triggered our impartial skilled to grow to be very involved in regards to the potential for an uncontrolled explosion that might shoot dangerous gasoline and shrapnel right into a populated neighborhood,” Shaw stated.

The air monitoring picked up no traces of poisonous chemical compounds, officers stated, though Shaw acknowledges “the way it may scare of us.”

Ohio opened a brand new well being clinic Tuesday to deal with rising experiences of complications, nausea and rashes in East Palestine. Nervous residents additionally reported useless fish and chickens as authorities stated it is secure to return. As early as this week, medical groups from the U.S. Facilities for Ailments Management and Prevention and the US Division of Well being are anticipated to reach in the neighborhood.

Shaw stated air monitoring was put in inside an hour of the derailment, and water monitoring was in place a number of hours afterward. He stated all assessments for air and water have come again clear, however he stated the neighborhood can get extra air and water testing of their properties.

“If of us are experiencing signs with which they are not accustomed, I might strongly encourage them to go see a trusted medical skilled,” Shaw stated, acknowledging it has been a “traumatic expertise.”

Assessments have revealed no indicators of carcinogens together with vinyl chloride within the setting, officers stated. Nonetheless, there stays the chance that the complete impression will not floor till years from now. Shaw stated some researchers have stated this isn’t a priority and testing will proceed into the longer term.

Shaw stated the corporate to this point eliminated about 450 cubic yards of contaminated soil and secured about 1.1 million gallons of contaminated water. He stated the corporate will proceed to “do the best factor for this neighborhood” and see the restoration effort during. He didn’t lay out a timeframe.

Shaw stated it is secure for households to return to the neighborhood as environmental remediation with the Ohio EPA is underway. He stated Norfolk Southern has reimbursed or dedicated a “downpayment” of $6.5 million to East Palestine and can proceed monetary help to residents.

The corporate beforehand supplied residents $1,000 “inconvenience” checks, however a Cleveland legal professional cautioned residents these checks would get residents to waive future claims towards the corporate. Shaw within the interview denied the lawyer’s claims after the corporate made public statements that doing testing absolved Norfolk Southern of no legal responsibility.

“I do know they’re damage. I do know they’re scared. I do know they’re confused. They’re searching for data and who to belief,” Shaw stated.

Shaw stated Norfolk Southern is totally cooperating with the NTSB and the FRA to give you the foundation reason behind the derailment. He prevented speaking about safety footage displaying a wheel capturing off sparks about 20 miles earlier than the derailment.

“We will be right here tomorrow. We will be right here a yr from now. We will right here 5 years from now. We will do what’s proper for this neighborhood and assist this neighborhood get again on its toes and assist this neighborhood thrive,” Shaw stated.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg despatched a letter Sunday to Norfolk Southern, warning that the corporate should “show unequivocal help for the folks” of East Palestine.

Buttigieg wrote that Norfolk Southern and different rail corporations have “spent tens of millions of {dollars} within the courts and lobbying members of Congress to oppose common sense security laws, stopping some completely and decreasing the scope of others.”

Some corporations have adopted precision-scheduled railroading, which incorporates operating longer trains, and reducing prices and headcounts to create a simpler community — and doubtlessly revenue.

In response, Shaw stated Norfolk Southern invests over $1 billion a yr in “science-based soutions,” together with sustaining tracks, tools and know-how.

Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, stated in a CNN interview that railroads “are merely not investing the best way they need to in automotive security and the rail strains themselves,” leading to layoffs and inventory buybacks.

“It is fairly clear that our security tradition and our investments in security did not stop this accident,” Shaw stated in response. “We’d like to try this and see what we are able to do in another way and what we are able to do higher.”