Key takeaways:
- The EPA will require Norfolk Southern to test the site of a fiery train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio for dioxins.
- The EPA will order an immediate cleanup of the area if dioxins that pose “unacceptable risk to human health and the environment” are found.
- The EPA will oversee any possible cleanup and test until all contamination is gone.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Thursday that it will require Norfolk Southern to test the site of a fiery train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio for dioxins. The EPA said it will order an immediate cleanup of the area if dioxins that pose “unacceptable risk to human health and the environment” are found.
At a contentious town hall in East Palestine on Thursday, angry residents repeatedly interrupted a Norfolk Southern representative with questions and concerns regarding the cleanup efforts. Darrell Wilson, the representative, assured the crowd that the company would “do the right thing” and “clean up the site.”
The EPA also said that Norfolk Southern will be required to conduct a background study that compares dioxin levels around East Palestine to dioxin levels in other areas not impacted by the Feb. 3 derailment. Residents in the area have reported illnesses they believe stem from the crash.
The EPA said it will oversee any possible cleanup and that it will “test until we get all the contamination gone.” The agency has not yet released a timeline for when the testing and cleanup will be completed.
The derailment of the train on the evening of February 3 has caused much concern among residents in the area. The EPA’s announcement of the testing and cleanup efforts is a step towards addressing the health and safety concerns of the community.
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