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Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2025
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Eastern Ohio Incident Summary On February 3, 2023, a train operated by us derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The February 3rd derailment, the associated fire, and the resulting vent and burn of the tank cars containing vinyl chloride on February 6th is hereinafter referred to as the “Incident.” In response to the Incident, we have been working to clean the site safely and thoroughly, including those activities described in the Environmental Matters section below with respect to potentially impacted air, soil, and water and to monitor for any impact on public health and the environment. We are working with federal, state, and local officials to mitigate impacts from the Incident, including, among other efforts, conducting environmental monitoring and clean-up activities (as more fully described below), and operating a field office to provide support to members of East Palestine and the surrounding communities. Financial Impact Although we cannot predict the final outcome or estimate the reasonably possible range of the total loss related to the Incident with certainty, we have accrued amounts for probable and reasonably estimable liabilities for those environmental and non-environmental matters described below. Certain costs incurred and related to the Incident may be recoverable under our insurance policies in effect at the date of the Incident. For additional information about our insurance coverage, see “Insurance” below. Amounts recorded related to the Incident, including outstanding liabilities at the end of each period, are summarized in the tables below. Our current estimates of probable and reasonably estimable liabilities principally associated with environmental matters and legal proceedings are discussed in further detail below.
|  | Environmental Matters |  | Legal Contingencies and Other |  | Total |  | Total Recoveries |  | Total - Net of Recoveries
|  | ($ in millions)
At December 31, 2024 |  | $ | 244 |  |  | $ | 444 |  |  | $ | 688 |  |  | $ | (18) |  |  | $ | 670 |
Expense/(Recoveries) |  | — |  |  | 39 |  |  | 39 |  |  | (224) |  |  | (185) |
(Payments)/Receipts |  | (17) |  |  | (47) |  |  | (64) |  |  | 122 |  |  | 58 |
At March 31, 2025 |  | 227 |  |  | 436 |  |  | 663 |  |  | (120) |  |  | 543 |
Expense/(Recoveries) |  | — |  |  | 107 |  |  | 107 |  |  | (154) |  |  | (47) |
(Payments)/Receipts |  | (18) |  |  | (31) |  |  | (49) |  |  | 225 |  |  | 176 |
At June 30, 2025 |  | 209 |  |  | 512 |  |  | 721 |  |  | (49) |  |  | 672 |
Expense/(Recoveries) |  | — |  |  | 5 |  |  | 5 |  |  | (16) |  |  | (11) |
(Payments)/Receipts |  | (12) |  |  | (11) |  |  | (23) |  |  | 16 |  |  | (7) |
At September 30, 2025 |  | $ | 197 |  |  | $ | 506 |  |  | $ | 703 |  |  | $ | (49) |  |  | $ | 654 |
|  | Environmental Matters |  | Legal Contingencies and Other |  | Total |  | Total Recoveries |  | Total - Net of Recoveries
|  | ($ in millions)
At December 31, 2023 |  | $ | 319 |  |  | $ | 145 |  |  | $ | 464 |  |  | $ | — |  |  | $ | 464 |
Expense/(Recoveries) |  | 60 |  |  | 640 |  |  | 700 |  |  | (108) |  |  | 592 |
(Payments)/Receipts |  | (87) |  |  | (40) |  |  | (127) |  |  | 10 |  |  | (117) |
At March 31, 2024 |  | 292 |  |  | 745 |  |  | 1,037 |  |  | (98) |  |  | 939 |
Expense/(Recoveries) |  | 53 |  |  | 38 |  |  | 91 |  |  | (156) |  |  | (65) |
(Payments)/Receipts |  | (80) |  |  | (71) |  |  | (151) |  |  | 135 |  |  | (16) |
At June 30, 2024 |  | 265 |  |  | 712 |  |  | 977 |  |  | (119) |  |  | 858 |
Expense/(Recoveries) |  | 51 |  |  | 78 |  |  | 129 |  |  | (288) |  |  | (159) |
(Payments)/Receipts |  | (52) |  |  | (31) |  |  | (83) |  |  | 184 |  |  | 101 |
At September 30, 2024 |  | $ | 264 |  |  | $ | 759 |  |  | $ | 1,023 |  |  | $ | (223) |  |  | $ | 800 |
From the inception of the Incident, we have recognized a total of $1.2 billion in net expenses directly attributable to the Incident, which includes $1.1 billion of recoveries. At September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we have also recorded a deferred tax asset of $81 million and $211 million, respectively, related to the Incident expecting that certain expenses will be deductible for tax purposes in future periods or offset with insurance recoveries. Environmental Matters – In response to the Incident, we have been working with federal, state, and local officials such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Ohio EPA, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), and the Columbiana County Health District to conduct environmental response and remediation activities, most of which have concluded and some which are continuing. The EPA issued a Unilateral Administrative Order (UAO) on February 21, 2023, containing various requirements, including the submission of numerous work plans to assess and remediate various environmental media and performance of certain removal actions at the affected site. On February 24, 2023, we submitted to the EPA our Notice of Intent to Comply with the UAO. We continue to conduct activities required by the UAO and the directives issued thereunder. On October 18, 2023, the U.S. EPA issued a second unilateral order under Section 311(c) of the Clean Water Act (CWA Order), requiring preparation of additional environmental work plans to address local waterways. We timely submitted our Notice of Intent to Comply with the CWA Order and continue to complete environmental assessment and remediation (if needed based on assessment results) as required by the EPA, as well as state agencies, in compliance with the CWA Order. In September 2025, we completed the environmental remediation and restoration work at the site. Surface water and groundwater monitoring will continue pursuant to the approved plans under the UAO. Once approved by the court, the proposed Consent Decree (discussed below) will supersede the UAO and CWA Order. We are also subject to the following legal proceedings that principally relate to the environmental impact of the Incident: •The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a civil complaint on behalf of the U.S. EPA (the DOJ Complaint) in the Northern District of Ohio (Eastern Division) seeking injunctive relief and civil penalties for alleged violations of the CWA and cost recovery under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). The Ohio Attorney General (AG) also filed a lawsuit (the Ohio Complaint) in the Northern District of Ohio (Eastern Division) seeking damages for a variety of common law and environmental statutory claims under CERCLA and various state laws. The DOJ and Ohio AG cases have been consolidated for discovery purposes. We have filed an answer, and the litigation is ongoing in the Ohio AG case. On May 23, 2024, the DOJ and the Company reached a settlement to resolve all of the government’s civil claims against the Company related to the Incident, and jointly lodged a proposed Consent Decree with the court. As proposed, the Consent Decree will require the Company to pay for the federal government’s oversight costs of $57 million through November 30, 2023 as well as additional oversight costs from December 1, 2023 until the remediation is complete. The proposed Consent Decree also requires the Company to pay a civil penalty of $15 million for alleged violations of the CWA. Other provisions of the proposed Consent Decree relate to injunctive relief for safety, community support including medical and mental health programs, and environmental support, which provisions, if approved by the court, will be in effect between five years to twenty years. The proposed Consent Decree was subject to a mandatory public comment period, which ended on August 2, 2024, and the DOJ filed a motion on October 10, 2024 seeking entry of the Consent Decree. That motion remains pending before the Court. The Ohio AG did not join this settlement and its claims remain outstanding and are proceeding. In accordance with FASB ASC 410-30 “Environmental Liabilities,” we have recognized probable and reasonably estimable liabilities in connection with the foregoing environmental matters. Our current estimate includes ongoing and future environmental cleanup activities and remediation efforts, governmental oversight costs (including those incurred by the EPA and the Ohio EPA), and other related costs, including those in connection with the proposed DOJ Consent Decree (including civil penalties related to alleged violations of the CWA). Our current estimates of future environmental cleanup and remediation liabilities related to the Incident recognize that the remediation and restoration efforts have now largely concluded. The remaining cost estimates could change over time based on various factors, including but not limited to, the issuance of additional cleanup and removal orders or directives, and the extent of continued government oversight amongst other factors. Legal Proceedings and Claims (Non-Environmental) – To date, numerous non-environmental legal actions have commenced with respect to the Incident, including those more specifically set forth below. •There is a consolidated putative class action pending in the Northern District of Ohio (Eastern Division) (the Ohio Class Action) in which plaintiffs allege various claims, including negligence, gross negligence, strict liability, and nuisance, and seeking as relief compensatory and punitive damages, medical monitoring and business losses. On April 26, 2024, we entered into a class action settlement with the plaintiffs to resolve the Ohio Class Action for $600 million. The settlement agreement resolves all class action claims within a 20-mile radius from the derailment and, for those residents who choose to participate, personal injury claims within a 10-mile radius from the derailment. The district court granted final approval of the settlement on September 27, 2024, which was subsequently appealed. We made a partial payment of the settlement in 2024, in the amount of $315 million. Payment of the remaining balance, including timing, is dependent upon resolution of any appeals to the settlement. Our claims against third parties were resolved during the second quarter of 2025. Another putative class action is pending in the Western District of Pennsylvania, brought by Pennsylvania school districts and students (the Pennsylvania Class Action). On August 22, 2023, six Pennsylvania school districts and students filed a putative class action lawsuit alleging negligence, strict liability, nuisance, and trespass, and seeking damages and health monitoring. On December 8, 2023, the school districts amended their complaint to add additional companies as defendants in the action. On February 23, 2024, we and the other defendants filed motions to dismiss and those motions are fully briefed and currently pending before the court. We are also named as a defendant in various other Incident-related lawsuits involving other potentially affected third parties, a number of which were filed in early 2025. We are continuing to assess the claims and their potential impact on the Company. Combined with the Ohio Class Action and the Pennsylvania Class Action, these lawsuits are collectively referred to herein as the Incident Lawsuits. In accordance with FASB ASC 450, “Contingencies,” as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, we had accruals for probable and reasonably estimable liabilities principally associated with the Incident Lawsuits and related contingencies of $482 million and $369 million, respectively. For the reasons set forth below, our estimated loss or range of loss with respect to the Incident Lawsuits may change from time to time, and it is reasonably possible that we will incur actual losses in excess of the amounts currently accrued and such additional amounts may be material. While we continue to work with parties with respect to potential resolution, no assurance can be given that we will be successful in doing so and we cannot predict the outcome of these matters. •We have received securities and derivative litigation and multiple shareholder document and litigation demand letters, including a securities class action lawsuit under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) initially filed in the Southern District of Ohio alleging multiple securities law violations but since transferred to the Northern District of Georgia, a securities class action lawsuit under the Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act) filed in the Southern District of New York alleging misstatements in association with our debt offerings, and six shareholder derivative complaints filed in Virginia state court asserting claims for breach of fiduciary duties, waste of corporate assets, and unjust enrichment in connection with safety of the Company’s operations, among other claims (collectively, the Shareholder Matters). On February 27, 2025, the district judge granted defendants’ motion to dismiss the Securities Act lawsuit in its entirety, and closed the case. On March 28, 2025, plaintiffs in the Securities Act lawsuit filed a notice of appeal of the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In the Exchange Act lawsuit, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint on April 25, 2024, and the defendants filed a motion to dismiss on June 24, 2024. On March 24, 2025, the district court denied defendants’ motion to dismiss, with the Exchange Act lawsuit now in discovery. In the derivative litigation, the six actions were consolidated on July 10, 2025, by agreement of the parties. No responsive pleadings have been filed yet in the derivative litigation or Securities Act lawsuit. With respect to all Incident-related litigation and regulatory matters, we record a liability for loss contingencies through a charge to earnings when we conclude that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated and disclose such liability if we conclude it to be material. Any adjustments to the recorded liability will be reflected in earnings in the periods in which such adjustments become known. Because the final outcome of any of these legal proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, developments related to the progress of such legal proceedings or other unfavorable or unexpected developments or outcomes could result in additional costs or new or additionally accrued amounts that could be material to our results of operations in a particular year or quarter. In addition, if it is reasonably possible that we will incur Incident-related losses in excess of the amounts currently recorded as a loss contingency, we disclose the potential range of loss, if reasonably estimable, or we disclose that we cannot reasonably estimate such an amount at this time. For Incident-related litigation and regulatory matters where a loss may be reasonably possible, but not probable, or probable but not reasonably estimable, no accrual is established but the matter, if potentially material, is disclosed. Our estimates of probable losses and reasonably possible losses are based upon currently available information and involve significant judgement and a variety of assumptions, given that (1) certain legal and regulatory proceedings are in early stages; (2) discovery may not be completed; (3) damages sought in these legal and regulatory proceedings can be unsubstantiated or indeterminate; (4) there are often significant facts in dispute; and/or (5) there is a wide range of possible outcomes. Accordingly, our estimated range of loss with respect to these matters may change from time to time, and actual losses may exceed current estimates. At this time, we are unable to estimate the possible loss or range of loss in excess of the amounts accrued with respect to the matters described above. The amounts recorded do not include any estimate of loss for which we believe a loss is either not probable or not reasonably estimable for any fines or penalties (in excess of the liabilities established for CWA-related civil penalties) that may be imposed as a result of the Incident Inquiries and Investigations, as more specifically set forth and defined below (the outcome of which are uncertain at this time). Inquiries and Investigations As set forth above, we are subject to inquiries and investigations by numerous federal, state, and local government authorities and regulatory agencies regarding the Incident, including but not limited to, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Ohio AG, and the Pennsylvania AG. Further details regarding the NTSB and FRA investigations are set forth below. We are cooperating with all pending inquiries and investigations, including responding to civil and criminal subpoenas and other requests for information (the aforementioned inquiries and investigations, as well as the civil and criminal subpoenas are collectively referred to herein as the Incident Inquiries and Investigations). Aside from the FRA’s safety assessment and the OSHA investigation (both of which have been completed), the outcome of any current or future Incident Inquiries and Investigations is uncertain at this time, including any related fines, penalties or settlements. Therefore, our accruals for probable and reasonably estimable liabilities related to the Incident do not include estimates of the total amount that we may incur for any such fines, penalties or settlements. Subsequent to the Incident, investigators from the NTSB examined railroad equipment and track conditions; reviewed data from the signal system, wayside defect detectors, local surveillance cameras, and the lead locomotive’s event recorder and forward-facing and inward-facing image recorders; and completed certain interviews (the NTSB Investigation). The NTSB concluded the NTSB Investigation and issued a final public report in July 2024. The NTSB found that the probable cause of the derailment was the failure of a bearing which overheated and caused the axle to separate, derailing the train and leading to a post-derailment fire. The NTSB issued over 30 recommendations, of which four were issued to Norfolk Southern. The NTSB continues to work on a safety culture investigation, and a report on this part of the investigation is expected to be issued in 2025. Concurrent with the NTSB Investigation, the FRA also investigated the Incident. Similar in scope to the NTSB Investigation, the FRA examined railroad equipment, track conditions, hazardous materials train placement and routing, and emergency response (the FRA Incident Investigation). The FRA Incident Investigation will likely result in the assessment of civil penalties, though the amount and materiality of these penalties cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. Other Commitments and Contingencies Litigation Related to the Mergers Shareholders may file lawsuits challenging the Mergers, which may name us, Union Pacific, members of our board, members of the Union Pacific board, or others as defendants. No assurance can be made as to the outcome of such lawsuits, including the amount of costs associated with defending claims or any other liabilities that may be incurred in connection with the litigation of any claims. If plaintiffs are successful in obtaining an injunction prohibiting the parties from completing the Mergers on the agreed-upon terms, such an injunction may delay the completion of the Mergers or may prevent the Mergers from being completed altogether. We and Union Pacific have each received demand letters from certain purported shareholders of Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific, as applicable, that allege deficiencies and/or omissions in the registration statement on Form S-4 filed by Union Pacific with the SEC relating to the Mergers. The demand letters seek additional disclosures to remedy these purported deficiencies. We believe that the allegations in these letters are without merit. There can be no assurances that complaints or additional demands will not be filed or made with respect to the Mergers. If additional similar demands are made, absent new or different allegations that are material, neither we nor Union Pacific will necessarily announce them. Lawsuits We and/or certain subsidiaries are defendants in numerous lawsuits and other claims relating principally to railroad operations. When we conclude that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated, it is accrued through a charge to earnings and, if material, disclosed below. While the ultimate amount of liability incurred in any of these lawsuits and claims is dependent on future developments, in our opinion, the recorded liability is adequate to cover the future payment of such liability and claims. However, the final outcome of any of these lawsuits and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, and unfavorable or unexpected outcomes could result in additional accruals that could be significant to results of operations in a particular year or quarter. Any adjustments to the recorded liability will be reflected in earnings in the periods in which such adjustments become known. For lawsuits and other claims where a loss may be reasonably possible, but not probable, or is probable but not reasonably estimable, no accrual is established but the matter, if potentially material, is disclosed below. We routinely review relevant information with respect to our lawsuits and other claims and update our accruals, disclosures and estimates of reasonably possible loss based on such reviews. In 2007, various antitrust class actions filed against us and other Class I railroads in various Federal district courts regarding fuel surcharges were consolidated in the District of Columbia by the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation. In 2012, the court certified the case as a class action. The defendant railroads appealed this certification, and the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit vacated the District Court’s decision and remanded the case for further consideration. On October 10, 2017, the District Court denied class certification. The decision was upheld by the Court of Appeals on August 16, 2019. Since that decision, various individual cases have been filed in multiple jurisdictions and also consolidated in the District of Columbia. On June 24, 2025, the District Court granted summary judgement dismissing the consolidated cases in full. On July 24, 2025, a majority of plaintiffs appealed this ruling to the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. We intend to vigorously defend the cases through appeal and believe that we will prevail. However, given that litigation is inherently unpredictable and subject to uncertainties, there can be no assurances that the final resolution of the litigation will not be material. At this time, we cannot reasonably estimate the potential loss or range of loss associated with this matter. In 2018, a lawsuit was filed against one of our subsidiaries by the minority owner in a jointly-owned terminal railroad company in which our subsidiary has the majority ownership. The lawsuit alleged violations of various state laws and federal antitrust laws. On January 3, 2023, the court granted summary judgment to us on all of the compensatory claims but denied summary judgment for all equitable relief claims. On January 18, 2023, the court dismissed the federal equitable relief claims, leaving the state equitable relief claims as the sole remaining issue under consideration. On April 19, 2023, the court disposed of all remaining state equitable relief claims. On August 29, 2024, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the opinion of the lower court. In April 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court denied to grant certiorari, exhausting all appellate rights. Casualty Claims Casualty claims include employee personal injury and occupational claims as well as third-party claims, all exclusive of legal costs. To aid in valuing our personal injury liability and determining the amount to accrue with respect to such claims during the year, we utilize studies prepared by an independent consulting actuarial firm. Job-related personal injury and occupational claims are subject to the Federal Employer’s Liability Act (FELA), which is applicable only to railroads. The variability inherent in FELA’s fault-based tort system could result in actual costs being different from the liability recorded. While the ultimate amount of claims incurred is dependent on future developments, in our opinion, the recorded liability is adequate to cover the future payments of claims and is supported by the most recent actuarial study. In all cases, we record a liability when the expected loss for the claim is both probable and reasonably estimable. Employee personal injury claims – Other than Incident-related matters noted above, the largest component of claims expense is employee personal injury costs. The independent actuarial firm we engage provides quarterly studies to aid in valuing our employee personal injury liability and estimating personal injury expense. The actuarial firm studies our historical patterns of reserving for claims and subsequent settlements, taking into account relevant outside influences. The actuarial firm provides the results of these analyses to aid in our estimate of the ultimate amount of liability. We adjust the liability quarterly based upon our assessment and the results of the study. The accuracy of our estimate of the liability is subject to inherent limitation given the difficulty of predicting future events such as jury decisions, court interpretations, or legislative changes. As a result, actual claim settlements may vary from the estimated liability recorded. Occupational claims – Occupational claims include injuries and illnesses alleged to be caused by exposures which occur over time as opposed to injuries or illnesses caused by a specific accident or event. Types of occupational claims commonly seen allege exposure to asbestos and other claimed toxic substances resulting in respiratory diseases or cancer. Many such claims are being asserted by former or retired employees, some of whom have not been employed in the rail industry for decades. The independent actuarial firm provides an estimate of the occupational claims liability based upon our history of claim filings, severity, payments, and other pertinent facts. The liability is dependent upon judgments we make as to the specific case reserves as well as judgments of the actuarial firm in the quarterly studies. Our estimate of ultimate loss includes a provision for those claims that have been incurred but not reported. This provision is derived by analyzing industry data and projecting our experience. We adjust the liability quarterly based upon our assessment and the results of the study. However, it is possible that the recorded liability may not be adequate to cover the future payment of claims. Adjustments to the recorded liability are reflected in operating expenses in the periods in which such adjustments become known. Third-party claims – We record a liability for third-party claims including those for highway crossing accidents, trespasser and other injuries, property damage, and lading damage. The actuarial firm assists us with the calculation of potential liability for third-party claims, except lading damage, based upon our experience including the number and timing of incidents, amount of payments, settlement rates, number of open claims, and legal defenses. We adjust the liability quarterly based upon our assessment and the results of the study. Given the inherent uncertainty in regard to the ultimate outcome of third-party claims, it is possible that the actual loss may differ from the estimated liability recorded. Environmental Matters We are subject to various jurisdictions’ environmental laws and regulations. We record a liability where such liability or loss is probable and reasonably estimable. Environmental specialists regularly participate in ongoing evaluations of all known sites and in determining any necessary adjustments to liability estimates. In addition to environmental claims associated with the Incident, our Consolidated Balance Sheets include liabilities for other environmental exposures of $62 million at September 30, 2025 and $65 million at December 31, 2024, of which $15 million is classified as a current liability at the end of both periods. At September 30, 2025, the liability represents our estimates of the probable cleanup, investigation, and remediation costs based on available information at 69 known locations and projects compared with 74 locations and projects at December 31, 2024. At September 30, 2025, eighteen sites accounted for $53 million of the liability, and no individual site was considered to be material. We anticipate that most of this liability will be paid out over five years; however, some costs will be paid out over a longer period. At eight locations, one or more of our subsidiaries in conjunction with a number of other parties have been identified as potentially responsible parties under CERCLA or comparable state statutes that impose joint and several liability for cleanup costs. We calculate our estimated liability for these sites based on facts and legal defenses applicable to each site and not solely on the basis of the potential for joint liability. As set forth above, with respect to known environmental sites (whether identified by us or by the U.S. EPA or comparable state authorities), estimates of our ultimate potential financial exposure for a given site or in the aggregate for all such sites can change over time because of the widely varying costs of currently available cleanup techniques, unpredictable contaminant recovery and reduction rates associated with available cleanup technologies, the likely development of new cleanup technologies, the difficulty of determining in advance the nature and full extent of contamination and each potential participant’s share of any estimated loss (and that participant’s ability to bear it), and evolving statutory and regulatory standards governing liability. The risk of incurring environmental liability for acts and omissions, past, present, and future, is inherent in the railroad business. Some of the commodities we transport, particularly those classified as hazardous materials, pose special risks that we work diligently to reduce. In addition, several of our subsidiaries own, or have owned, land used as operating property, or which is leased and operated by others, or held for sale. Because environmental problems that are latent or undisclosed may exist on these properties, there can be no assurance that we will not incur environmental liabilities or costs with respect to one or more of them, the amount and materiality of which cannot be estimated reliably at this time. Moreover, lawsuits and claims involving these and potentially other unidentified environmental sites and matters are likely to arise from time to time. The resulting liabilities could have a significant effect on financial position, results of operations, or liquidity in a particular year or quarter. Based on our assessment of the facts and circumstances now known, we believe we have recorded the probable and reasonably estimable costs for dealing with those environmental matters of which we are aware. Further, we believe that it is unlikely that any known matters, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or liquidity. Labor Agreements Approximately 80% of our railroad employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements with various labor unions. Pursuant to the Railway Labor Act (RLA), these agreements remain in effect until new agreements are reached, or until the bargaining procedures mandated by the RLA are completed. Moratorium provisions in the labor agreements govern when the railroads and unions may propose changes to the agreements. We largely bargain nationally in concert with other major railroads, represented by the National Carriers’ Conference Committee (NCCC). Under moratorium provisions from the last round of negotiations, neither party was permitted to serve notice to compel a new round of mandatory collective bargaining until November 1, 2024. In the months prior to the opening of the current national bargaining round, we engaged in voluntary local discussions with our labor unions and, as a result, reached local tentative agreements with ten of our thirteen unions. A majority of those tentative agreements were subsequently ratified by union membership and became effective January 1, 2025, foreclosing the parties from serving new notices to compel mandatory bargaining until November 1, 2029. For those unions with whom we had not yet reached a ratified agreement, the NCCC, on behalf of Norfolk Southern, sent bargaining notices on November 1, 2024, to commence mandatory direct negotiations as prescribed under the RLA. Since then, the NCCC has reached several additional agreements on behalf of Norfolk Southern and other members of the bargaining coalition. For unions where bargaining currently remains open, even if the parties are unable to reach voluntary ratified agreement during this first phase of RLA bargaining, self-help (e.g., a strike or other work stoppage) related to this collective-bargaining process remains prohibited by law until a lengthy series of additional procedures mandated by the RLA, including federal mediation, are exhausted. Insurance We purchase insurance covering legal liabilities for bodily injury and property damage to third parties. Our liability insurance provides limits for approximately 83% of covered losses above $75 million and below $734 million per occurrence and/or policy year. Above $800 million per occurrence and/or policy year, we maintain approximately $43 million additional liability insurance limits for certain types of pollution releases. We also purchase insurance for property damage to property owned by us or in our care, custody, or control. Our property insurance provides limits for approximately 77% of covered losses above $75 million and below $275 million per occurrence and/or policy year. With respect to the Incident, we have recognized approximately $1.1 billion in insurance recoveries (including $16 million and $288 million during the third quarters of 2025 and 2024, respectively, and $314 million and $552 million during the first nine months of 2025 and 2024, respectively), principally from excess liability (re)insurers. At September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, $49 million and $18 million was outstanding and is included in “Accounts receivable – net” on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. By June 30, 2025, we exhausted coverage under our liability insurance policies with respect to the Incident. With the exception of amounts that have been recognized, potential future recoveries under our property and other insurance coverage have not yet been recorded (given the insurers ongoing evaluation of our claims).

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