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A federal judge approved the $600 million class-action settlement Wednesday that Norfolk Southern railroad offered to everyone who lived within 20 miles (32 kilometers) of last year's disastrous derailment i n East Palestine, Ohio, despite the objections of a few residents who questioned the deal.
Judge Benita Pearson gave the deal final approval after a hearing where the lawyers who negotiated it with the railroad argued that residents overwhelmingly supported it, attorneys for the residents and a spokesperson for the railroad told The Associated Press. Roughly 55,000 claims were filed. Only 370 households and 47 businesses opted out.
But those who did object to the deal were vocal in their concerns that the settlement won't provide enough and that the deal was rushed through so quickly that they can't possibly know what the potential health impact from the derailment will be. They say it's hard to know all the risks given the way test results have been reported by the EPA and the fact that the lawyers haven't disclosed everything they learned in their investigation.
The approval will clear the way for payments to start going out quickly. The lawyers had previously said they hoped to get the first checks in the mail before the end of the year.
