Brown, Vance, Casey, Fetterman, raise concerns with EPA
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), J.D. Vance (R-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA) sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan expressing their concerns about the release of hazardous materials following the train derailment in East Palestine. These chemicals went into the air and may also go into the groundwater across the region. In the letter, the senators press EPA on its plan to hold Norfolk Southern accountable and ensure the proper resources are reaching East Palestine to continue to provide assistance to the residents in and around the region.
“We appreciate the extensive air and water monitoring operations that have begun, but the impacted communities need further monitoring and assurance of safety of their homes, their water, and their soil. Our offices are aware of reports of lingering odors and animal deaths. Additionally, there are reports that chemicals from the derailment have been found in the Sulphur Run stream and other downstream waterways. Given the rural nature of this community, many residents rely on private drinking water wells that are not connected to a public water supply system, and therefore may need additional testing from EPA to ensure the safety of their drinking water sources. We are deeply concerned for the safety of the community in the impacted area,” wrote the senators.
A copy of the letter is available below:
Administrator Michael S. Regan:
We write regarding the February 3, 2023, Norfolk Southern train derailment near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border in East Palestine, Ohio. We want to express our appreciation for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) swift response and for the assistance the agency provided to state and local authorities, including the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA), the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP), fire fighters, and local police. We would also like to commend the speed in which the EPA and state agencies were able to set up community air and water quality monitoring in the surrounding area, as it provided critical data that helped ensure public health and safety in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
While we are grateful no injuries or fatalities resulted directly from the derailment, we are concerned about the release of hazardous materials into the air and groundwater across the region surrounding the derailment. Hundreds of families were forced to flee their homes and are now rightfully concerned about long-term health risks associated with exposure to the toxic chemicals released. No American family should be forced to face the horror of fleeing their homes because hazardous materials have spilled or caught fire in their community. We ask that EPA uses its existing authorities under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) to ensure that Norfolk Southern pays for the clean-up of these hazardous materials, as well as compensates residents and affected businesses as required. Additionally, we ask that EPA continue monitoring the land, air, and water in East Palestine, Darlington Township, and impacted communities until the longterm effects of the exposure are fully understood.
The Norfolk Southern train had 53 cars that derailed with at least 10 carrying hazardous material, including Vinyl Chloride, Ethylene Glycol Monobutyl Ether, 2-Ethyl Hexyl Acrylate, Isobutylene, and Butyl Acrylates. According to the EPA, acute exposure to high levels of vinyl chloride in the air can impact the central nervous system causing dizziness, drowsiness, and headaches. Chronic exposure to this chemical can cause liver damage, central nervous system effects and even a rare form of liver cancer.