Attorneys from Wellsville and Canfield have been appointed as community liaisons for the East Palestine federal class-action lawsuit filed against Norfolk Southern Railway.

In an April 6 order made by U.S. Judge Benita Pearson of the Northern Ohio District Court, Columbiana County attorney Nick Amato of Wellsville and Nils P. Johnson Jr. of Johnson & Johnson Law Office in Canfield were named community liaisons.

They are to report on the progress of a class-action lawsuit filed by attorneys representing 31 residents, workers, businesses and other entities that claim they suffered property damage and health issues from the Feb. 3 train derailment and subsequent “controlled burn” of chemicals remaining in tankers.

In a separate U.S. District Court action, Judge John Adams denied a motion to transfer the lawsuit he was assigned in the train derailment that was filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection agency.

On March 31, the federal agencies said they want to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for polluting waterways near the derailment site. The federal agencies also want the railroad to pay for the cleanup of oil and other pollutants that leaked into nearby creeks and other waterways in the wake of the derailment and later controlled explosion of several burning rail cars that held toxic material.

On Wednesday, Adams did issue a ruling combining the federal Justice and EPA lawsuit with a legal action filed in the Ohio courts by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost. In that 58-count complaint filed on March 14, state officials look to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for its actions that led to the derailment.

Members of the public wanting more information about the lawsuit or other information about the derailment aftermath can contact either attorney, Amato at 724-777-5240; Johnson at his law office at 12 W Main St., Canfield; or email at general@jandjohio.com.

“I want to let people know the contact information,” said Amato, who has practiced for almost three decades devoted to malpractice, negligence and other areas of personal injury litigation.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Norfolk Southern marked the three-month anniversary of the derailment Wednesday by committing to improved railway safety.

“A safer railroad is a better railroad. … We are a safe railroad, but we can do better,” CEO Alan Shaw said in an open letter to media outlets.

“We have already taken actions to further enhance safety, and we are advocates in Washington for federal legislative provisions that have the potential to enhance freight rail safety.”

According to company officials, the railway has invested nearly $32 million back into the village and surrounding communities in an effort “to make it right.”

Those investments have included direct relief totaling $7.4 million to 8,300 families in and around East Palestine; a $1 million Community Fund to support the village’s immediate needs; and a $300,000 donation to East Palestine City Schools.

The railway also created a community liaison position naming Jeremy Vransevich, a resident of East Palestine and Norfolk Southern employee. Vransevich has been authorized to distribute an additional $1 million in company funds into the community where it is needed.