East Palestine Train Derailment (Curtis Walsh)

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio – Today, the new East Palestine Clinic at 139 North Walnut in East Palestine, Ohio opened. The clinic, operated by East Liverpool City Hospital with support from Ohio Department of Health, is available by appointment.  Ohio residents can schedule their visit by calling (330-383-6020) during regular hours of operation 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Monday – Friday. For Pennsylvania residents, call (877-PA-HEALTH) the Department of Health hotline to connect with a nurse to find appropriate local health care services.

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, a commercial vehicle hauling 40,000 pounds of contaminated soil from the East Palestine train derailment site was involved in a crash on SR-165. The spill was contained and is not a threat to nearby waterways. The northbound tractor trailer traveled off the roadway and overturned onto its right side. The Ohio State Highway Patrol estimates that approximately 20,000 pounds of soil spilled onto the roadway and berm.  The local fire department and the Ohio EPA are on scene. The Ohio Department of Transportation has closed SR 165 at SR 617 in Mahoning County and at SR 14 in Columbiana County. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reports that the driver sustained minor injuries.

Air sparging has been completed within Leslie Run and Sulphur Run at the East Palestine City Park. Air sparging is a common cleanup technique which involves putting air into the water so that oxygen and microbes break down chemicals. Next steps will include continued cleaning of the sediment in both streams.

In case you missed it, last week, EPA also issued a statement on soil sampling efforts. As springtime activities begin, we continue to work closely with the village to review all sampling and monitoring data and feel confident that residents can safely use the East Palestine City Park. After an additional independent review, the village decided to move forward with the annual Spring Fling Easter egg hunt in the park.

Response By the Numbers (as of the morning of April 9, 2023)

• 19,966 tons est. (+2,325 tons) of contaminated soil shipped
• 11,424,978 gallons (+935,360 gallons) of liquid waste shipped to date
• 629 indoor air screenings
• 312 private well samples conducted
• The Welcome Center has received 493 visitors

What to expect this week

Water is being pumped around the derailment site to prevent contamination from being carried downstream. Pumps near State Line Lake carry clean water past the derailment site to where it is pumped back into Sulphur Run. The pumping operation is also protecting the wetlands area near State Line Lake.

The excavation of the south track is nearing completion and soil waste is continuing to be shipped off-site for disposal. After the south track excavation finishes and the track is reconstructed, the excavation can begin on the north track. Planning is currently underway for the north track excavation.

At the derailment site:

• Continued heavy truck traffic along designated routes.
• Taggart Street remains closed to the public.
• Excavation work and backfilling on the south track will near completion.
• Excavated soil and collected wastewater will continue to be shipped off-site.

In the greater community:

• EPA’s Community Welcome Center remains open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. EPA staff are available to answer questions and address concerns.
• Air monitoring will continue at 23 locations around the community. EPA’s Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) mobile laboratory will continue to monitor air.
• Under the direction of EPA’s unilateral order to Norfolk Southern, additional soil sampling will take place next week in Pennsylvania. This sampling will include agricultural, residential, and state game areas.

Air Quality

The Unified Command issued a joint update on the multilayered approach to measure air quality to the EPA website (link). Unified Command’s top priority is the health and safety of the residents of Ohio and Pennsylvania whose lives have been impacted by the train derailment.

The member organizations remain confident that the air quality there is safe, and that the health of residents continues to be protected. To date, 629 indoor air screenings have been conducted. Air monitoring continues 24/7 at 23 stations throughout the community. No detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride have been identified.

During the soil removal at the derailment site, EPA and independent contractors are conducting air monitoring within the work zone and throughout the surrounding community. This includes continuous air monitoring and sampling at the site and throughout the community. EPA’s TAGA mobile laboratory is also conducting an air monitoring near the soil excavation area.

Soil Removal at the Derailment Site

Work at the site includes removing tracks in sections and removing soil and placing it in a staging area for disposal. Soil removal continues at the south track rail area; planning for the north track rail removal is underway. During the soil removal process, Norfolk Southern, with EPA oversight, will conduct soil sampling beneath the excavated rail track.

 

Liquid Waste Removal

Wastewater is collected to ensure water does not leave the derailment site or staging piles of contaminated soil. Wastewater is generated after rain falls on contaminated soil and is collected and from cleaning and washing trucks before they leave site.

Soil Sampling

EPA has reviewed preliminary data from some of the soil sampling related to the controlled burn that occurred during response actions to the train derailment in East Palestine. While final results will be available in the coming weeks, EPA’s review of the preliminary data indicates levels of semi-volatile organic chemicals and dioxins in the samples are similar to typical background levels.

EPA and Norfolk Southern contractors continue to take soil samples at agricultural, commercial, recreational, and residential properties in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. To date, 137 properties have been sampled. This soil sampling effort will help identify if contaminants, including SVOCs and dioxins, are present and may have been caused by the train derailment.