Community Open Houses in Ohio and Pennsylvania Thursday, March 16 EAST PALESTINE, Ohio - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a Community Resource Open House on March 16, 2023, from 6-8 p.m. at the East Palestine school gym (360 West Grant Street). This will be an opportunity for residents to talk face-to-face and ask questions to representatives of responding agencies. Residents will also have the opportunity to learn more about the scientific equipment that EPA uses to monitor the quality of the air. At the same time, Beaver County, along with the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture, Environmental Protection, and Health and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) of the CDC, the Environmental Protection Agency, Norfolk Southern, and State Representative Jim Marshall will host a Community Resource Open House for Pennsylvania residents. That open house will take place at Darlington Township Volunteer Fire Department (3590 Darlington Road, Darlington, Penn.). EPA and Norfolk Southern contractors continue to take soil samples at agricultural, residential, commercial, and recreational properties in both Ohio and Pennsylvania. This soil sampling effort will help identify if contaminants, including SVOCs and dioxins, are present and may have been caused by the train derailment. EPA and Norfolk Southern contractors have collected 62 soil samples. Operational Updates U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) • Contaminated waste from the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine is being shipped to appropriate disposal facilities. Contaminated soil is currently being moved offsite and contaminated liquid continues to move quickly. EPA has not imposed any conditions that have prevented shipments of waste to appropriate facilities. As Norfolk Southern enters into contracts with facilities with greatly expanded capacity, the rate of shipments is expected to increase significantly. EPA will ensure that Norfolk Southern is held fully accountable for the damage inflicted on the community and that the company enters into binding agreements to dispose of the waste as expeditiously as possible. • EPA's community welcome center at 25 North Market Street continues to be open to the community from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day. • EPA personnel have been on the ground since the train derailment, working alongside federal, state, and local partners. Read details at EPA's East Palestine. Ohio Train Derailment Emergency Response website. See operational updates from other agencies supporting this incident response below. Update from the State of Ohio • Community members can read the State update on the Governor's website. 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. There are 8 one day classes available on the schedule - first one is March 21st. This is a free 8-hour hands- on class (8:30am to 5:30pm) 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. ### ------- |