ATLANTA, August 4, 2023 – Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) announced Thursday a grant of $500,000 to support economic development in the Village of East Palestine, Ohio. This will fund the hiring of an independent, private-sector economic development consultant as part of Norfolk Southern’s long-term commitment to the community. The consultant will be hired by and work for the Village.

“As I’ve met with members of the community over the past six months, many have expressed interest in a long-term economic development strategy for East Palestine. We continue to take their direction on how we can help the community thrive,” said Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan H. Shaw. “These funds will allow the Village to hire a professional economic development consultant and create a plan to support long-term prosperity.”  

The consultant to the Village and its leaders will focus on helping the community to develop and implement an economic development strategy. They will undertake several initiatives, including: 

• Engaging with community and business leaders
• Assessing the current state of the village's economy
• Setting achievable economic development goals
• Helping the village implement a plan to foster and support economic growth

The Village of East Palestine will provide further information about the economic development role in the coming weeks.

East Palestine was founded in 1828 and is in northeastern Columbiana County, Ohio. The village of approximately 5,000 residents is located along the Pittsburgh-Cleveland corridor.

About Norfolk Southern
Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of auto products and metals in North America. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com.

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