EAST PALESTINE, Ohio — The Village of East Palestine will hold an informational town hall meeting on Wednesday regarding followup to the Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment, Mayor Trent Conaway has announced.
The 7 p.m. meeting at the East Palestine High School Auditorium will be an opportunity for residents and those in the surrounded area affected by the derailment, fire, and subsequent evacuation to ask questions about the situation.
In other recent developments:
— The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has notified Norfolk Southern that it may be liable for cleanup of the site of the Feb. 3 derailment and fire near the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line under federal law, WKYC-TV reports.
On Friday, the EPA sent the railroad a General Notice of Potential Liability, concluding NS may be responsible for the EPA’s costs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act for the release of “hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants” as a result of the 50-car derailment and subsequent fire, which led to a five-day evacuation of an area within a 1-mile radius of the accident site.
That notice also included a list of chemicals released during the derailment and fire, and WFMJ-TV reports it includes three chemicals not previously mentioned: ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, which can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness; ethylhexyl acrylate, the vapor of which can cause drowsiness and convulsions, while liquid can irritate eyes and skin; and isobutylene, inhalation of which can cause dizziness, drowsiness, and unconsciousness.
— The Associated Press reports that one of several new lawsuits regarding the derailment seeks to require Norfolk Southern to pay for medical screenings and other health care for anyone living within a 30-mile radius of the derailment to determine who was affected by the release of toxic substances. The suit, filed by two Pennsylvania residents, also seeks undetermined damages.
NS declined comment.
— WKYC-TV also reports that the East Palestine Police Department notified some residents that a group would be going door-to-door to notify some residents on Saturday that their drinking water might “at risk” as a result of the derailment and release of hazardous chemicals.
The at-risk homes have well water. The Potable Well Task Group consists of contractors working for Norfolk Southern and will be conducting water tests, according to the notification.
At the same time, East Palestine officials also warned of a scam by individuals going door-to-door claiming to be from Norfolk Southern, gathering information to offer financial help. NS financial help is only available at the railroad’s assistance center in New Waterford, Ohio, the Morning Journal News reports.
Share this article
