What is EPA’s response to inaccurate claims about its use of ASPECT?
The characterizations of EPA’s ASPECT response in East Palestine are false. More information can be found about ASPECT’s response in the
ASPECT Summary Report -- East Palestine Derailment (Version 3) (pdf)
. EPA Region 5 requested ASPECT to fly to East Palestine late in the day on February 5, 2023. As soon as the request was made, the aircraft was deployed the same day from its home base in Addison, Texas to Pittsburgh. Due to low ceilings and icing conditions, the flight crew made the determination that the aircraft was unable to fly safely on February 6, 2023, the day of the controlled burn. Weather conditions were favorable for data collection on February 7, 2023, and the aircraft conducted two flight missions, providing the information it was requested to collect consistent with previous ASPECT responses.
Within hours of the derailment on February 3, EPA responders were on-scene establishing a robust air monitoring network at the site and within the community. EPA’s ASPECT plane was just one component of a comprehensive air monitoring and sampling network that included several instruments to collect air samples and measure contaminants at and around the site. In the first two days, EPA’s air monitoring readings were below detection levels for most contaminants, except for particulate matter. EPA air monitoring did not detect chemical contaminants at levels of concern in the hours following the controlled burn. Over the course of the response, EPA has collected over 115 million air monitoring data points and over 28,000 air samples. Since the evacuation was lifted, no sustained chemicals of concern have been found in the air. EPA’s air sampling data is available to the public on EPA’s web page.
EPA is committed to the highest level of scientific integrity and transparency, to ensure its decisions are free from unwarranted interference. The agency takes seriously any allegation of violations or misconduct. ASPECT’s response in East Palestine followed standard operating procedures, consistent with previous ASPECT responses.
EPA is continuing to work diligently to provide the public with information and data available to the agency through public means like our website or FOIA as we continue the work to ensure the people of East Palestine and surrounding communities are protected.
The contractor mentioned was not part of the ASPECT flight crew responsible for the determination of flight safety. EPA does not comment on internal personnel matters relating to contractors.