Environmental Protection Agency workers surveyed Leslie Run in East Palestine, Ohio, in June 2024. The EPA’s actions following the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine are now under investigation. This inquiry comes after local residents and Vice President JD Vance advocated for a thorough review.
The EPA’s Inspector General announced the investigation to evaluate the agency’s response to what has been considered the worst rail disaster in over a decade. Despite the assurances by the EPA that no hazardous chemical levels remained, health and environmental concerns persisted within the community.
A mix of chemicals spilled and ignited after a Norfolk Southern train derailed due to a faulty bearing in February 2023. Residents were evacuated when officials decided to breach and burn five rail cars containing vinyl chloride three days after the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board criticized this approach, calling it unnecessary. However, officials had feared the tank cars might explode, causing further harm.
Jami Wallace and other East Palestine residents have been vocal in their demand for this investigation. Initially, they urged the EPA to test for potential release of cancer-causing dioxins in the area. Wallace noted the ongoing health struggles, stating over 80 local residents have developed cancer since the derailment. While illness links to the derailment remain difficult to establish, Wallace remains dedicated to ensuring accountability.
Continuous complaints from residents and whistleblowers, along with requests from Vice President Vance and the head of the EPA, contributed to initiating the investigation. It aims to determine whether the EPA met its duties and had enough data to support their public communications reassuring residents of safety.
Testing experts have questioned if the EPA’s data shared with the public masked potential risks. There is concern over whether the agency could assess the dangers of exposure to the chemical mixture, as health standards typically consider exposure to single chemicals.
Wallace expressed uncertainty over the investigation’s outcomes but acknowledged it brings renewed attention to East Palestine’s unresolved issues. She emphasized that the community’s plight is not over, even though Norfolk Southern agreed to a $600 million class action settlement.
However, court proceedings have delayed the settlement’s distribution due to concerns about fund management by the initial settlement administrator. Additionally, some residents have filed lawsuits, claiming legal representation misled and coerced them into the agreement.
A separate federal settlement awaiting judicial approval has also been in limbo. It proposes a $15 million fine for the railroad and $55 million for long-term medical exams and groundwater testing.
Norfolk Southern is pursuing a merge with Union Pacific to create the nation’s first transcontinental railroad. The $85 billion deal is under review by the Surface Transportation Board.