Updates from East Palestine Response

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio - Yesterday, U.S. EPA updated the EPTD public website and posted social media to Twitter
and Facebook.

EPA will hold the next community open house on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at East Palestine High School. EPA staff will
be available to discuss soil sampling results.

Last Friday, EPA notified Norfolk Southern of its obligation pursuant to the Unilateral Administrative Order to
identify EPA-certified disposal facilities and ship waste safely and swiftly.

EPA's letter to Norfolk Southern: Re: C5XR Unilateral Administrative Order Waste Disposal is located here: Norfolk
Southern Letter Final (epa.gov)

EPA's letter to State Commissioners, Directors, and Secretaries Re: Alert Disposal of Hazardous Waste Material from
East Palestine, Ohio, Train Derailment Site is located here: EPA Memo to Alert Regarding Disposal of Hazardous
Waste Material from East Palestine. Ohio. Train Derailment Site

Response By the Numbers

•	6,186 tons est. of contaminated soil shipped (+93 tons from yesterday)

•	7.25 million est. gallons of liquid wastewater shipped (+186,577 million gallons from yesterday)

•	618 indoor air screenings

•	The Welcome Center has received 338 visitors
Soil Removal at the Derailment Site

Soil removal continues at the derailment site and approximately 6,186 tons of contaminated soil has shipped to
disposal facilities. Work at the site includes removing tracks in sections, and removing soil and placing it in a
staging area for disposal. Soil removal continues on the south track rail area; planning for the north track rail
removal is underway. During the soil removal process, Norfolk Southern, with EPA oversight, will conduct soil
sampling beneath the excavated rail track.

Liquid Waste Removal

Wastewater is collected to ensure water does not leave the derailment site or staging piles of contaminated soil.
Wastewater is generated after rain falls on contaminated soil and is collected and from cleaning and washing
trucks before they leave site. An estimated 7.25 million gallons of wastewater has been shipped offsite to
appropriate disposal facilities.

Soil Sampling

EPA and Norfolk Southern contractors continue to take soil samples at agricultural, commercial, recreational and
residential properties in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. To date, 97 properties have been sampled. This soil sampling
effort will help identify if contaminants, including SVOCs and dioxins, are present and may have been caused by the
train derailment.

Preliminary soil sample results are coming back from the lab - this information will be shared with property owners
and the public after quality checks are complete.


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Air Quality

To date, 618 indoor air screenings have been conducted. Air monitoring continues 24/7 at 23 stations throughout
the community. No detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride have been identified.

During the soil removal at the derailment site, EPA and independent contractors are conducting air monitoring
within the work zone and throughout the surrounding community. This includes continuous air monitoring and
sampling at the site and throughout the community as well as the use of EPA's Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer
(TAGA) mobile laboratory which is conducting an air monitoring route near the soil excavation area. EPA does not
anticipate exceedances of levels of health concern as a result of the soil removal work.

See operational updates from other agencies supporting this incident response below.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

•	FEMA has been working closely with the state since the beginning of this incident and has been in
constant contact regarding emergency operations since February 4—less than 12 hours after the train
derailment.

•	In total, FEMA deployed 70 personnel to help coordinate this multiagency effort and get the people of
East Palestine connected to critical information and resources.

•	Specifically, FEMA recently supported Interagency Community Outreach teams with door-to-door
outreach in the affected area, sharing valuable information with residents and businesses.

•	These teams engaged with affected residents in the community and more than 2,200 flyers were
distributed to individuals or dropped off at their homes and businesses.

Department of Transportation (DOT) & National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

•	DOT's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recently urged all railroad
operators to create and maintain emergency response plans for the transport of hazardous materials,
strengthen the accessibility of the AskRail system, and inform PHMSA when they identify responders who
are not able to access PHMSA's grant-funded training. Read the PHMSA Safety Advisory Notice: Railroad
Emergency Preparedness.

•	NTSB, an independent federal agency, is leading the investigation into the cause of the derailment.

Read NTSBs recently issued an Investigative Update with factual findings on their investigation on
the ground.

•	Within hours of the derailment, staff from the Federal Railroad Administration and the Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration staff were on the scene to support the NTSB investigation.

•	Upon completion of the investigation, DOT will use all relevant authorities to ensure accountability and
improve safety.

•	DOT is demanding immediate actions from the Class I railroads, announcing continued and expanded
action from DOT, and calling on Congress to take actions that will hold the industry accountable.

Norfolk Southern Corporation

•	For daily updates community members can view the Norfolk Southern website
https://nsmakingitright.com/.

•	Sign-ups are now available for the Norfolk Southern Rail Response Training Center Classes in Bellevue, OH.
Eight one-day classes are available, starting on March 21. This is a free 8-hour, hands-on class (8:30 am to
5:30 pm) and lunch will be provided.

•	Go to this site to register: https://www.transcaer.com/training/training-events/oh/norfolk-southern-rail-
response-training-center/25868. Other upcoming dates at the NS Rail Response Training Center are
March 23, 25, 30 AND April 1, 6, 8, 13.


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