Work continues on waterways five months after derailment
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EAST PALESTINE -- The Environmental Protection Agency has approved Norfolk Southern's plan for waterway remediation in the Leslie and Sulphur runs.
The work is ongoing and EPA is reviewing plans for further assessment and cleanup to ensure community safety in the years to come after the February train derailment, according to the agency.
The EPA is monitor the creeks for contaminants until a complete evaluation of the surface water is conducted.
"Stream assessments are continuing, with sediment washing at locations in both streams to liberate any sheen so that it can be captured by booms located downstream," the agency said at epa.gov. "This is an interim measure until a full assessment of the impacted waterways, including sediments, is conducted. Operations teams are also continuing to evaluate and reduce storm water runoff to Sulphur Run."
The EPA maintains there is no means of exposure despite both creeks show signs of gross contamination.
When it rains, water from the streams floods basements and residents insist if that water is still contaminated then so are the houses that flood along the creeks.
The EPA-approved Norfolk Southern work plan, the Surface Water Sampling and Analysis Plan, was last updated on June 28.
"We've done a lot of work addressing the impacts that we saw," Chris Hunsicker, regional manager of Environmental Operations at Norfolk Southern, said. "Right now, we are seeing wildlife coming back into the creeks. If you go up on Sulphur Run, you can see little fish swimming up and down. We are seeing creeks restore and the conditions are getting better all the time. We're making progress. We know we are not done there, but we are making good progress, and ecological conditions are improving."
The EPA also approved the railroad's work plans concerning sentinel wells and groundwater sampling. Those plans also are available at www.epa.gov/east-palestine-oh-train-derailment.