As an Ohio community continues to deal with the impact of a train derailment and subsequent fire, FEMA, attorney Erin Brockovich and former President Donald Trump are headed there. The Biden administration has also vowed to hold Norfolk Southern accountable.
FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, announced it would deploy a Senior Response Official to East Palestine, Ohio Saturday.
It also said that a Regional Incident Management Assistance Team (IMAT) would be deployed “to support ongoing operations, including incident coordination and ongoing assessments of potential long-term recovery needs.”
Brockovich – a well-known environmental activist – and Trump also each separately announced their own plans to visit East Palestine on social media.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Norfolk Southern reported the train derailment, which occurred around 8:55 p.m. Feb. 3, at around 10:53 p.m.
“At that time, it was reported that an unknown number of the 150 train cars had derailed, but 20 of the cars were listed as carrying hazardous materials,” said the EPA. “Approximately 50 cars were affected by the derailment with the rest being uncoupled and removed from the scene.”
As of Feb. 5, a fire at the site was still active and local officials issued evacuation orders for the surrounding area. The EPA assisted efforts to control the situation by providing stationary and roaming air monitoring investigating impacts to Sulphur Run and Leslie Run, two local streams and as of Feb. 4, the agency discovered contaminated runoff in the streams.
“U.S. EPA community air monitoring readings did not detect any contaminants of concern other than particulate matter on Feb. 5,” said the agency in an update. “Norfolk Southern’s contractor has also been conducting air monitoring in both the community and near/in work zones. Low levels of VOCs have been detected for brief periods in the community near the work zones and staging areas. Roaming air monitoring teams conducted additional air monitoring in these areas to verify localized readings. Additionally, low levels of VOCs and nitrogen dioxide have been detected within the active work zones.”
Additionally, the agency said it utilized a vacuum truck and sorbent pads and that aeration pumps began operating at three locations along Sulphur Run and the confluence with Leslie Run by Feb. 5.
“The East Palestine Water Treatment Plant confirmed there were no adverse effects to the treatment plant,” the EPA said.
On Feb. 7, the EPA issued another update.
“During Norfolk Southern’s controlled burn yesterday of rail cars containing vinyl chloride, U.S. EPA air monitoring detected particulate matter resulting from the fire, it said.
While air monitoring did not detect chemical contaminants of concern following the controlled burn, the EPA warned that “residents in the area and tens of miles away may smell odors coming from the site. This is because the byproducts of the controlled burn have a low odor threshold,” which allows people to smell contaminants at levels much lower than what is considered hazardous.
On Feb. 8 the fire was finally extinguished and by Feb. 10, Norfolk Southern contractors had installed a dam and a water bypass at Sulphur Run to prevent further contamination. They also stopped spillage of more product onto the stream.
Over the following days, the EPA conducted air screenings. The agency discontinued air monitoring for phosgene and hydrogen chloride Feb. 13, and in an update said that threat of these chemicals no longer existed after the fire was put out. However, 24-hour air monitoring for other chemicals continued.
“As of the evening of Feb. 16, EPA has assisted with the indoor air monitoring of more than 500 homes. To date there have been no detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride above levels of concern,” said a Friday update from the agency.
“FEMA and the State of Ohio have been in constant contact regarding emergency operations in East Palestine. U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA have been working together since day one,” said a joint stamen issued Friday from Ohio Governor DeWine and FEMA Regional Administrator Sivak.
In a fact sheet published Friday by the White House, the Biden administration vowed to support East Palestine.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to supporting the people of East Palestine every step of the way, and holding Norfolk Southern accountable,” it said.
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