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

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

The corporate will even proceed to assist residents of the city, as nicely, Shaw mentioned.

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 mentioned 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 website, 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 mentioned 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 should require Norfolk Southern to wash any contaminated soil and water sources, reimburse the EPA for cleansing companies and take part in public conferences on the EPA’s request.

An organization spokesperson informed 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 beneficial 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 stress aid valves on the automobiles had failed, temperatures have been rising, prompted our impartial knowledgeable to turn into very involved in regards to the potential for an uncontrolled explosion that might shoot dangerous gasoline and shrapnel right into a populated neighborhood,” Shaw mentioned.

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

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

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

“If of us are experiencing signs with which they don’t seem to be accustomed, I’d strongly encourage them to go see a trusted medical skilled,” Shaw mentioned, acknowledging it has been a “traumatic expertise.”

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

Shaw mentioned the corporate thus far eliminated about 450 cubic yards of contaminated soil and secured about 1.1 million gallons of contaminated water. He mentioned the corporate will proceed to “do the proper factor for this neighborhood” and see the restoration effort right through. He didn’t lay out a time-frame.

Shaw mentioned it is secure for households to return to the neighborhood as environmental remediation with the Ohio EPA is underway. He mentioned 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 harm. I do know they’re scared. I do know they’re confused. They’re in search of data and who to belief,” Shaw mentioned.

Shaw mentioned Norfolk Southern is absolutely cooperating with the NTSB and the FRA to give you the foundation explanation for the derailment. He prevented speaking about safety footage displaying a wheel taking pictures off sparks about 20 miles earlier than the derailment.

“We will be right here tomorrow. We will be right here a 12 months 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 mentioned.

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

Buttigieg wrote that Norfolk Southern and different rail corporations have “spent thousands and thousands of {dollars} within the courts and lobbying members of Congress to oppose commonsense security rules, stopping some totally and lowering the scope of others.”

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

In response, Shaw mentioned Norfolk Southern invests over $1 billion a 12 months in “science-based soutions,” together with sustaining tracks, tools and expertise.

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

“It is fairly clear that our security tradition and our investments in security did not forestall this accident,” Shaw mentioned in response. “We want to check out this and see what we are able to do in another way and what we are able to do higher.”