EPA Orders Norfolk Southern To Handle All Ohio Train Derailment Cleanup, Pay Triple If They Cut Corners

Ben ZeisloftFebruary 21, 2023

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered Norfolk Southern to be shut down, the company located in the middle of the train derailment Ohio to manage cleanup of toxic materials in East Palestine Chemical spill.

All residents within one mile radius of the February 3 train derailment were evacuated by local and state authorities. started To reduce the chance of an explosion, a controlled burning of industrial chemicals was done on the vehicle. This could have caused shrapnel to be released into the small community. Five train cars emitted vinyl chloride, a known human cancergen, in massive plumes visible across eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, the EPA stated that Norfolk Southern must clean contaminated soil, water, and reimburse the EPA for cleaning services offered to residents. Residents and businesses can also attend meetings to receive updates on the cleanup. The agency threatened to “immediately step in, conduct the necessary work, and then seek to compel Norfolk Southern to pay triple the cost” Failure to complete the required cleanup actions will result in a company being held responsible.

“The Norfolk Southern train derailment has upended the lives of East Palestine families, and EPA’s order will ensure the company is held accountable for jeopardizing the health and safety of this community,” Michael Regan, EPA Administrator, said in a Statement. “Let me be clear: Norfolk Southern will pay for cleaning up the mess they created and for the trauma they’ve inflicted on this community.”

Officials from EPA had obtained a prior voluntary commitment from Norfolk Southern to pay all cleanup costs. Norfolk Southern also released vinyl chloride. Beware The EPA stated that a variety of volatile chemicals including ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, and ethylhexyl acrylate were also present at the site. After residents were informed they could return home, the EPA published the complete list of substances at the site.

Regan was forced to travel to East Palestine last Wednesday by Senator J.D. Vance (R.OH), who challenged He should drink the water that his agency claims is safe. Indeed, the EPA That “test results from the village’s municipal well sampling showed no water quality concerns,” Governor Mike DeWine (R OH) Announcement The Ohio EPA conducted tests that revealed these results. “no detection of contaminants in raw water from the five wells that feed into East Palestine’s municipal water system.”

A group of Daily Wire producers and journalists visited East Palestine nonetheless reported A lingering smell in your air, an oily chemical sheen found in local creeks, rivers, and symptoms such a sore throat and headaches are all a result of prolonged time spent in the small rust belt area.

This statement by the EPA is the most aggressive response from the Biden Administration to chemical fallout. It follows previous accusations that it had paid little attention to the matter. Last week, the White House declared that it would Respond To submit a federal request for support, send medical personnel and toxicologists from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services.

“I’m deeply grateful to the emergency responders, including EPA personnel, who’ve been on the ground since day one and ensured there was no loss of life as a result of this disaster,” Regan stated this in the statement. “As we transition from emergency response, EPA will continue to coordinate closely with our local, state, and federal partners through a whole-of-government approach to support the East Palestine community during the remediation phase. To the people of East Palestine, EPA stands with you now and for as long as it may take.”