Updates from East Palestine Response April 17, 2023 EAST PALESTINE, Ohio - Norfolk Southern has begun to use the south track - with cars running at a slow speed - on the rebuilt track. Norfolk Southern plans to resume normal operations on the rebuilt track before removing the rails on the northern track to begin cleanup and restoration work on the soil underneath the northern track. People can expect to see rail cars traveling on the south track that runs through the derailment site now that cleanup and restoration there is complete. Norfolk Southern continues to prepare for the start-up of soil excavation and cleanup on the northern track, currently scheduled to begin April 20, 2023. Trace Atmospheric Gas Analyzer (TAGA) mobile laboratory personnel demobilized on Saturday, April 15 as track excavation work was finished for the time-being. TAG A air monitoring will re-start on Thursday, April 20 concurrent with excavation activities on the northern track. Air monitoring continues at 23 locations around the community and EPA has approved the use of a similar mobile lab operated by Norfolk Southern for additional air monitoring around the derailment site. EPA approved the use of the PTR- MS mobile lab after conducting joint TAGA/PTR-MS runs the week of April 10. Monitoring data collected by the contracted mobile lab was consistent with monitoring data collected by EPA's TAGA lab, assuring confidence in its use. EPA also made sure that analysis of the PTR-MS lab data is done in the same way as EPA's TAGA data analysis, and an EPA contractor will ride along in the PTR-MS mobile lab whenever it is operating. During weekend operations, the sampling team conducted one inspection in Ohio. EPA is collecting a percentage of samples as split samples. Phase I of the residential, recreational, commercial, and agricultural soil plan was completed on Friday, April 14. A total of 148 residential, recreational, commercial, and agricultural soil sample sets have been collected to date - 89 from Ohio and 59 from Pennsylvania. EPA also plans to attend a Soil Sampling Information Session on Thursday, April 20 from 6 to 7 p.m. with Mark Durno, EPA response coordinator. Topics will include who was conducting soil sampling; how sampling was done; and how to interpret results. There will be a presentation followed by a question-and-answer portion and a short demonstration. The Way Station and First United Presbyterian Church will host the event at 109 W. Rebecca Street, East Palestine, OH 44413. Response By the Numbers (as of the morning of April 17, 2023) • 26,000 tons est. (+2,254 tons) of contaminated soil shipped • 12,362,383 gallons (+477,162 gallons) of liquid waste shipped to date • 630 indoor air screenings • 347 private well samples conducted • The Welcome Center has received 517 visitors What to expect this week Both the north and south tracks through East Palestine will be live at reduced speed until the north track closure on Wednesday, April 19. At the derailment site: • Continued heavy truck traffic along designated routes. ------- • Taggart Street remains closed to the public. • Excavation work for the north track is in the planning stages. • Excavated soil and collected wastewater will continue to be shipped off-site. In the greater community: • EPA's Community Welcome Center remains open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. EPA staff are available to answer questions and address concerns. • Air monitoring will continue at 23 locations around the community. Review of data supports air monitoring trends that air quality has remained below screening levels. o Preliminary data collected is currently being validated prior to being finalized. Air Quality The member organizations remain confident that the air quality there is safe, and that the health of residents continues to be protected. To date, 630 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. EPA's TAGA mobile laboratory was also conducting an air monitoring nearthe soil excavation area. TAGA personnel demobilized on Saturday, April 15 as south track excavation work was completed. TAGA air monitoring will restart on Thursday, April 20. Soil Removal at the Derailment Site Work at the site includes removing tracks in sections and removing soil and placing it in a staging area for disposal. Soil removal continues at the site - at 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. Soil stockpiles are being covered overnight and when not in use. Vapor suppressants are being utilized to address odor/vapor issues associated with the derailment site excavation. 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 from cleaning and washing trucks before they leave the site. Soil Sampling EPA has reviewed preliminary data from some of the soil sampling related to the controlled burn that occurred during response actions at the train derailment in East Palestine. While final results will be available in the coming weeks, EPA's review of the preliminary data indicates levels of semi-volatile organic chemicals and dioxins in the samples are similar to typical background levels. To date, 148 properties have been sampled in 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. ### ------- |