Newsletter: East Palestine Train Derailment Response, 6-27-2023
Newsletter serving Serving East Palestine, Negley, Darlington, and surrounding communities
- Progress Made
- The Look Ahead
- Site Status Check
- Top 3 Questions of the Week
- In Case You Missed It
- About this Publication
Progress Made
Contamination Removed Underneath Train Tracks
The excavation underneath Pleasent Drive is complete and starting Wednesday, June 28, the street will be open to traffic. Contamination underneath the north and south tracks has been removed, and both tracks are both fully operational. The removal of the excavated waste for disposal off-site is ongoing. Sampling and removal work continues at the railcar scrapping areas alongside the tracks.
Assessments of Sulphur Run and Leslie Run
Sulphur Run flushing and assessment are ongoing to determine the most effective and least disruptive cleaning methods to ensure contamination is removed. In Leslie Run, assessment is being planned to determine what potential further removal actions are needed.
NTSB Public Meeting and Public Hearing
Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is a federal agency that performs independent safety investigations, arrived in East Palestine for a public meeting and
two days of investigative hearings. The hearing was a fact-finding step as part of a safety investigation to determine the probable cause of the Norfolk Southern train derailment, hazardous materials release, decision to vent and burn, and to gather more information for recommending safety changes to prevent future derailments and releases. For more information, you can visit the NTSB website.
The Look Ahead
At the Site
Site Status Check
as of June 23
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North Track: In operation
South Track: In operation -
Leslie Run: Assessment is being planned
Sulphur Run: Flushing and assessment are ongoing - 21.8 million est. gallons of wastewater shipped offsite
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- The site operations will be reduced around the 4th of July holiday, check EPA’s website for updates.
- The site operations footprint will continue to change as sampling and cleaning efforts move to other areas of the site. Site cleanup will focus on car scrapping areas.
- Cleaning in the catch basin area near Martin Street will continue. A culvert is being installed beneath Pleasant Drive north of the tracks.
- Truck traffic continues near the derailment site. Waste shipments will continue.
- Taggart Street remains closed to the public.
In the Greater Community
- EPA air monitoring continues at 15 locations around town.
- Leslie Run assessment is being planned and Sulphur Run flushing and assessment are ongoing to determine next steps in cleaning both streams. Workers are finding aquatic life throughout, but we recommend avoiding these creeks as additional cleaning is needed.
- The EPA Community Welcome Center at 25 North Market Street in East Palestine, remains open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Welcome Center will be closed Tuesday, July 4 in observation of Independence Day.
Top 3 Questions of the Week
In Case You Missed It
On June 20, The Way Station and First United Presbyterian Church hosted a Public Health Resource information session. East Liverpool Hospital, the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County, Columbiana County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, and OhioMeansJobs presented on health resources and services available for residents.
Key resources were discussed during this session. To watch the recording check out the “Videos and Photos” section of EPA’s East Palestine website.
Distribution Update
These newsletters will be changing from a weekly to bi-weekly schedule starting in July. Expect to receive the next editions on July 12 and 26.