East Palestine, Ohio Train Derailment
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EPA remains committed to protecting the health and safety of the community as the cleanup in East Palestine nears completion
EPA personnel have been on-site since the onset of the 2023 train derailment and will remain involved as local and state partners focus on long-term environmental and health monitoring.
Settlement Update
On May 24, 2024, the United States proposed settlement with Norfolk Southern was lodged by the Department of Justice. Please see Proposed Consent Decree Between the United States and Norfolk Southern, Docket No. 138 (pdf) (1.28 MB) and DOJ developed a Fact Sheet: United States and Norfolk Southern Railroad Settlement Agreement (pdf) (279.2 KB) with more information including a Medical Monitoring Program Map (pdf) (1.7 MB).
On October 10, 2024, DOJ filed a motion asking the court to sign and enter the proposed settlement, which will make the settlement final. Along with the motion, DOJ provided the court responses to all public comments received on the proposed settlement, as well as supporting declarations. Filed documents:
- United States Motion to Enter Consent Decree(pdf)(4 pp, 152.38 KB)
- United States Memorandum in Support of Motion to Enter Consent Decree(pdf) (39 pp, 423.97 KB)
- Public Comments Submitted Regarding the Proposed Consent Decree
- Part 1 (pdf) (411 pp, 20.56 MB)
- Part 2(pdf) (300 pp, 33.26 MB)
- Part 3(pdf) (252 pp, 23.55 MB)
- Part 4(pdf) (160 pp, 16.57 MB)
- United States Responses to Public Comments Submitted Regarding Proposed Consent Decree(pdf) (74 pp, 564.49 KB)
- Declaration of Ralph Dollhopf(pdf) (30 pp, 7.18 MB)
- Declaration of Mark Durno(pdf) (16 pp, 341.39 KB)
- Declaration of Constance Senior(pdf) (8 pp, 333.2 KB)
- Declaration of Jonathan Paschal(pdf)(13 pp, 261.18 KB).
Latest Update August 22, 2024
The week of August 5 marked another milestone in the response as crews started to dismantle the big blue lake tanks next to Pleasant Drive. These one-million-gallon tanks (YouTube) were first constructed to contain wastewater while cleanup was ongoing. In October 2023, major excavation in the derailment area was completed, and since then extensive sampling has taken place. Because of this data, the natural flow of water could return to the ditches running alongside the tracks, removing the need to capture site rainwater runoff.
- Read the entire update: Updates from East Palestine, June 28, 2024 (pdf) (174.98 KB)
- EPA’s Welcome Center is open by appointment only. To make an appointment, please call EPA’s information line at 330-775-6517. Questions can also be sent to r5_eastpalestine@epa.gov.
- Read the most recent monthly East Palestine newsletter, released on Oct. 31, 2024. View previous editions of the newsletters on this webpage.
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Background
At about 8:55 PM ET on February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, about a quarter-mile west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania state line.
Twenty of the affected cars contained hazardous materials, including vinyl chloride, ethylene glycol, ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate and isobutylene.
More Background InformationUnified Command:
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Columbiana County Emergency Management Agency
- Village of East Palestine
- Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
- Norfolk Southern Corporation
Cooperating and Assisting Agencies include:
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Ohio Emergency Management Agency
- Ohio Department of Health
- Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission
- Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
- Beaver County Emergency Management Agency
- Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency
- Pennsylvania Department of Health
- Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
- Ohio Department of Agriculture
- West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
Resources for Residents
Learn more about all resources available for East Palestine area residents
- EPA Information Line: 330-775-6517
- EPA Community Welcome Center in East Palestine: 25 North Market St.,
- By appointment only
- Information Repository: East Palestine Memorial Public Library, 309 N. Market Street, East Palestine, Ohio 44413.
M-Th. 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fri-Sat. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Work plans
- Directives
- Legal documentation
- FOIA documents
- Other documents