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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Norfolk Southern to handle and pay for all necessary cleaning after a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.
The EPA issued a legally binding order Tuesday, 18 days after the freight train derailed. The disaster ignited a multi-day conflagration, sending plumes of black smoke into the air and intentionally releasing vinyl chloride to avoid a devastating blast.
Some residents have reported health problems, and nearly 3,500 fish have died in Ohio’s waterways since the wreck.
“Norfolk Southern will pay to clean up the mess they have created and the trauma they have inflicted on this community,” EPA Commissioner Michael Regan said Tuesday.
As part of the EPA’s binding mandate, Norfolk Southern is required to:
• Identify and clean up contaminated soil and water resources.
• Reimburse EPA for cleaning services provided to residents and businesses to provide additional reassurance performed by EPA staff and contractors.
• Attend and participate in public meetings and post information online as required by EPA.
• Pay EPA’s costs for work performed under the order.
The order goes into effect Thursday. The EPA said it exercised its strongest authority over train operators under CERCLA. Comprehensive Environmental Compensation Liability Act.
“Norfolk Southern will never change shape or form because of the chaos they create,” said Regan.
If the railroad company fails to meet its demands, the EPA said it would step in immediately, perform the necessary work, and force Norfolk Southern to pay three times the cost.
In response to the EPA’s announcement, Norfolk Southern said it was working to clean up the site and would continue to assist residents.
“We recognize our responsibility and are committed to doing what is right for the people of Eastern Palestine,” Norfolk Southern said in a statement to CNN.
“We have paid for cleanup efforts and will continue to do so. We are investing in helping East Palestine thrive in the long term and will continue to be involved in our communities for as long as we need to. We will learn from and work with regulators and elected officials to improve rail safety.”
Hours before the EPA’s announcement, Regan and Gov. Mike DeWine visited homes in Eastern Palestine to reassure residents that municipal water supplies were safe.
They lifted two glasses of water straight from the tap, toasted, and drank.
Municipal water supply is supplied by five wells located deep underground wrapped in steel, a state official said. However, residents using private well water should test that water before using it, as that water may be sourced near the surface.
“State and local authorities will continue their water sampling efforts, and the EPA will continue to screen indoor air for residents in evacuation zones,” Regan said Tuesday.
However, “we recognize that no matter how much data we collect or provide, it will not be enough to give everyone complete peace of mind,” the EPA Administrator said.
“It may not be enough to restore the sense of security and security that this community once had.
The director of the Ohio Department of Environmental Protection said Tuesday that the soil under the railroad tracks at the wreck site was still contaminated and the railroad tracks had to be lifted to remove the soil.
The governor acknowledged residents’ concerns about contaminated soil and said 4,588 cubic yards of soil and 1.1 million gallons of contaminated water had been removed from Eastern Palestine.
“The railroad had put the tracks back up and put them into service, but the soil under the tracks hadn’t been treated,” DeWine said. “The railroad tracks must be removed, and the dirt must be removed.”
The state has opened new clinics for residents to address rising reports of rashes, headaches, nausea and other symptoms in eastern Palestine.
According to the Ohio Department of Health, the clinic will have registered nurses, mental health professionals and, in some cases, a toxicologist.
Medical teams from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health are expected to arrive in the area as early as this week to assess what risks remain.
Authorities have repeatedly assured residents that the town’s air and water supply is safe. The crew checked hundreds of homes and found no dangerous levels of contaminants. EPA Said.
Yet life in Eastern Palestine is uprooted as residents question the findings and question whether it is really safe to drink water or breathe air.
Dr. Erin Haynes, an environmental health scientist at the University of Kentucky, said:
“We should never say we are done investigating this community for potential exposures and health effects.”
An estimated 3,500 fish died as some waterways were contaminated after the crash. But officials say they believe the contaminants have been contained.
Norfolk Southern has installed fences and dams to limit the flow of contaminated water from Sulfur Run and Leslie Run, according to the EPA.
“During the initial slag, the effluent flowed into the Ohio River, which is a very large body of water that can quickly dilute pollutants,” said Tiffany Kavalek of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. increase. said last week.
Kavalek said officials were fairly confident that remaining “low-level” contaminants were not being passed on to water customers.
A series of pumps were placed upstream to reroute the sulfur run around the derailment site. Norfolk Southern said Monday.
“Environmental teams are treating areas affected by the sulfur run with booms, aeration and carbon filtration units,” Norfolk Southern added. “These teams are also working with river experts. We are collecting soil and groundwater samples and developing comprehensive plans to address remaining contamination in river banks and sediments.”
An intake from the Ohio River, which was closed “as a precautionary measure” on Sunday, was reopened after sampling found “no specific chemicals were detected from the train derailment,” the Greater Cincinnati Water Authority said. The Northern Kentucky Water District said Monday.
A third utility, Kentucky’s Maysville Public Utility, said on Saturday that toxic chemicals released into the river from a derailment accident were expected to reach Kentucky’s water treatment intake. announced that it was temporarily suspended. manager Marc Julian said.
Julian said water readings were below concern levels and Maysville took precautionary measures to temporarily close the Ohio River intake valves due to public concern.
“The bottom line is that anyone along the polluted Ohio River can breathe a sigh of relief,” he said.
Meanwhile, the majority of the dangerous railroad cars remain at the crash site as investigators continue to investigate the wreck. However, approximately 15,000 pounds of contaminated soil and 1.1 million gallons of contaminated water have been removed from the site. Norfolk Southern announced Monday.
Contaminated soil was the subject of controversy last week after an official letter sent to the EPA on February 10 did not list soil removal among completed cleanup efforts. It is not yet known what the implications and effects of the soil not removed before the railroad reopening on February 8 will have on the surrounding areas.
Some local businesses say they are losing customers amid growing skepticism about air and water safety.
“Everybody’s scared. They don’t want to come in and drink water,” Teresa Sproles, who owns a restaurant in East Palestine, told CNN. Affiliate WOIO.
A hair salon stylist told WOIO that the salon has definitely lost business and that customers may be worried about what’s in the water they wash their hair with.
“I know a lot of our business has already taken a big hit because people don’t want to come here.” CNN Affiliate WPXI.
Her husband, Donald Elzer, echoed her concerns, stating: The longer it goes on, the worse it gets.”
Dianna Elzer was also concerned about the long-term economic impact on her community.
“Our property value – who would want to buy a home here now?” she told WPXI. “It will take a long struggle to get back on track.”
As residents demand accountability from both southern Norfolk and government officials, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said he plans to visit eastern Palestine “at an appropriate time,” but no date has been announced. did not do it.
He announced on Monday new efforts by the Department of Transportation to improve rail safety.
“We are accelerating and strengthening our ongoing work on rail regulation and inspection here at the US DOT, including further regulation on highly hazardous flammable trains and electronically controlled pneumatic brakes. We will continue to use resources from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, among those permitted under the law, to fund projects that improve rail safety,” Buttigieg said.
A DOT news release said the agency would continue to require a “train crew manning rule” requiring a minimum of two crew members for most rail operations.Norfolk Southern opposed proposed rule.
Norfolk Southern has committed millions of dollars worth of financial support to Eastern Palestine, including $3.4 million in direct financial support to families and a $1 million community support fund. the company said.
Alan Shaw, CEO of Norfolk Southern, said to the residents of East Palestine, “We are listening to you. We are here to ensure your safety. I will remain here as long as necessary to aid recovery and prosperity,” he said in an open letter.
“We have worked with local health authorities to implement a comprehensive testing program to ensure the safety of water, air and soil in Eastern Palestine,” Shaw said.
Correction: An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency official Tiffany Kavalek.