The Justice Department adds to suits against Norfolk Southern over the Ohio derailment

The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern over the major train derailment that occurred in East Palestine, Ohio, last month.

The suit, filed Thursday on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency, accuses Norfolk Southern Railway Company and Norfolk Southern Corporation of "unlawfully polluting" the country's waterways and violating the Clean Water Act, which prohibits groups from releasing toxic pollutants into waterways without a government permit.

The department also means to hold the company and its subsidiary accountable for the "full cost" of the environmental cleanup, seeing $120,000 for each day Norfolk Southern is found to be out of compliance.