Ohio: East Palestine Train Derailment, Risk of Explosion

Rather than clean up the toxic wreck voluntarily, as it has done so far, Norfolk Southern will be required to do so under a plan approved by the EPA, which will also take over certain aspects of the response from Ohio. Norfolk Southern will also have to pay the remediation costs — as well as pay for cleaning services that the agency will offer to residents and businesses, participate in public meetings and share information publicly, according to the EPA.


 
Rather than clean up the toxic wreck voluntarily, as it has done so far, Norfolk Southern will be required to do so under a plan approved by the EPA, which will also take over certain aspects of the response from Ohio. Norfolk Southern will also have to pay the remediation costs — as well as pay for cleaning services that the agency will offer to residents and businesses, participate in public meetings and share information publicly, according to the EPA.


I dont think there can be enough that Norfolk Southern needs to pay.

They directly worked to make this all possible
 
So is a bankruptcy filing in Norfolk's future or will insurance cover the cost? What a nightmare for the people of East Palestine. imo


Federal officials announced Tuesday that Norfolk Southern—whose train derailed this month in Ohio while carrying toxic materials—will be forced to foot the bill for the entirety of the catastrophe’s cleanup.

It’s an expensive blow to Norfolk Southern, which already faces a growing number of lawsuits from residents of East Palestine, Ohio, where the fiery crash occurred on Feb. 2 and contamination fears remain.

The administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, Michael Regan, said Tuesday that the feds are ordering Norfolk Southern to pony up for all cleanup operations that have already been carried out by the government, and that the rail company must facilitate the remainder of the site’s cleanup.
 
Good idea!

Yes, a good idea.

JMO, one of the worst parts of this disaster is the fact that so little was done about the derailment mess for so long. It took 2 weeks for people to start paying attention to the accident. The governor and NS did an amazing job of keeping it covered up during that time, doing little in the way of clean up or prevention.

When they set those cars on fire, it released a huge amount of toxins for an extended period that was allowed to spread a long way, for miles. People were exposed to that. It seeped into stores, buildings, businesses, soil, farms,creeks, rivers, lakes, etc.

Another irony is that the state set up a clinic nearby to help people. Many of the people (like many in Ohio) don't have health insurance. As a result, many of these rural, low income areas also don't have good hospitals, doctors clinics, etc.

News says Pete Buttigieg is on site this morning. About time.
 
Yes, a good idea.

JMO, one of the worst parts of this disaster is the fact that so little was done about the derailment mess for so long. It took 2 weeks for people to start paying attention to the accident. The governor and NS did an amazing job of keeping it covered up during that time, doing little in the way of clean up or prevention.

When they set those cars on fire, it released a huge amount of toxins for an extended period that was allowed to spread a long way, for miles. People were exposed to that. It seeped into stores, buildings, businesses, soil, farms,creeks, rivers, lakes, etc.

Another irony is that the state set up a clinic nearby to help people. Many of the people (like many in Ohio) don't have health insurance. As a result, many of these rural, low income areas also don't have good hospitals, doctors clinics, etc.

News says Pete Buttigieg is on site this morning. About time.
How was this being covered up? The Governor was moving very quick on response. It is the Feds that have apparently taken 3 weeks to figure out where southern Ohio is.
 
How was this being covered up? The Governor was moving very quick on response. It is the Feds that have apparently taken 3 weeks to figure out where southern Ohio is.
The governor waited about 2 weeks to officially approach the president for help. He met with NS and Ohio EPA and eventually called in the national EPA. The problem is that he didn't ask for federal assistance for the residents until about a week ago, after Sen. Sherrod Brown got involved. At that time, Sherrod sent a letter to the governor instructing him to ask the president to declare E. Palestine a disaster area and to get them other help. Gov DeWine hadn't done that.

Neither Ohio nor NS is able or inclined to provide immediate assistance to these communities and the people who live around them. They had only inspected a small percentage of the homes in town and had already instructed residents to return there. There are many experts, including the local HazMat expert - fire chief - who said it was too early for the residents to return to their homes.

It's how things are done in Ohio, unfortunately, but the feds are involved now, the public is aware and following the story, so chances are the locals will get the help they need.


 
The derailment in East Palestine potentially killed more than 43,000 fish, amphibians, crustaceans and other aquatic animals in nearby streams, state officials said Thursday.

It will take time for the stream ecosystem to recover, said Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

“We know it won’t be quick,” she said. “But it’s going to come back.”

State officials say they have not seen any ill effects, including deaths, from the derailment on land-dwelling animals. But that hasn’t stopped other Ohioans from voicing their concerns over sick livestock and wildlife.

None among the dead were endangered species, she added. Ecologists are trying to restore imperiled amphibians called hellbenders to Ohio’s rivers.

 
I made a couple of maps using ACME Mapper 2.2 showing the route of the train. The first map shows the route it was supposed to take between Cleveland and Conway Yard (each of which are out of view), with the route traveled in blue, and the route it would've taken if it hadn't derailed in green. Locations of the combination hotbox/dragging equipment detectors (HB-DED) are in hot pink. The second map is zoomed in, and though it omits the route colors, it shows the milepost location of each detector, and the temperature readout each one gave. Mileage is going toward the North Side of Pittsburgh. (MP = milepost)

View attachment 405396
View attachment 405397

Milepost data taken from the NTSB's preliminary report on the accident, to follow in my next post (and from "flying over" in satellite view and Google StreetView).
 
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Contaminated soil and water are being shipped to other states for disposal.

It's disappointing how many regulations have been removed from environmental laws. Pretty sure companies disposing of toxic material had to notify the state where it was being taken. Also used to be regulatory standards.
 

Contaminated soil and water are being shipped to other states for disposal.

It's disappointing how many regulations have been removed from environmental laws. Pretty sure companies disposing of toxic material had to notify the state where it was being taken. Also used to be regulatory standards.

Spread it out.
 
Spread it out.
State's should know its coming, though. Toxic waste disposal sites should always notify state officials about what they're putting into storage. It's like, when did they stop doing that and why? It's simple paperwork, today its digitized. It doesn't cost the companies anything to do this.
 
Until Friday, Shore said, the rail company had been solely responsible for the disposal of the waste and supplied Ohio environmental officials with a list of selected and utilized disposal sites.

Going forward, disposal plans including locations and transportation routes for contaminated waste will be subject to EPA review and approval, she said.

'EPA will ensure that all waste is disposed of in a safe and lawful manner at EPA-certified facilities to prevent further release of hazardous substances and impacts to communities,' Shore said.

 

The CDC now has teams of people going door to door in E. Palestine (later they'll go to surrounding areas) asking how residents are feeling, what problems they have, gathering health data, etc.

The CDC staffers, along with representatives from the Environmental Protection Agency, FEMA, the federal Department of Health and Human Services and local government, are working to connect with and learn from anyone whose health may have been affected by the derailment's fallout.

They'll move into Pennsylvania in the next few days. They expect a report won't be available for a month.

The CDC can only deploy to areas of the country when states formally ask for help from the agency. Shugart said her team received the requests from both the Ohio and Pennsylvania departments of health two weeks after the derailment and mobilized within days.
 
Eerie photo from your link......

1677398620287.png

The CDC now has teams of people going door to door in E. Palestine (later they'll go to surrounding areas) asking how residents are feeling, what problems they have, gathering health data, etc.



They'll move into Pennsylvania in the next few days. They expect a report won't be available for a month.
 

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