On February 19, the Department of Environmental Protection provided this update on its actions monitoring air and water for impacts from the Ohio/PA train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio--
DEP has launched a webpage with real-time information on the train derailment.
Pennsylvania continues to see no concerning air or water quality readings following this incident. The DEP will continue to work with its partners to monitor the air and water quality closely in the weeks and months ahead.
DEP has not observed any loss of wildlife or fishkill in Pennsylvania.
[The state Department of Agriculture has also been active in monitoring livestock and other farm-related impacts. Read more here.]
Prior to Gov. Shapiro’s announcement, DEP coordinated with the Ohio EPA, Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission (ORSANCO), Federal EPA and Norfolk Southern’s contractor CTEH and reviewed their sample information for surface waters.
DEP also reviewed the air monitoring data and samples collected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Going forward DEP is going to be working on groundwater monitoring which will include testing.
Based on the air monitoring results at the time of the incident at the site, as well as the perimeter air monitoring, DEP did not observe any contaminants of concern leaving a two mile area around the derailment into PA.
Anyone wanting to see the air monitoring results can find them on the EPA Region 5 website.
DEP has also sampled public water supplies and conducted several inspections of Little Beaver Creek in Pennsylvania and Ohio to observe for sheen and dead fish.
DEP’s Southwest Regional Office is assisting concerned public water suppliers in evaluating their source water at the Beaver Falls Municipal Authority’s surface water intake on the Beaver River. This intake is located 11 miles east from the incident.
SWRO is also investigating a small public water supply (PWS) that is located along the Little Beaver River that utilizes spring sources.
Although the springs are considered groundwater sources and do not pull from the Little Beaver River, out of an abundance of caution DEP is checking to be certain that the system was not impacted by the incident.
Monitoring wells are being drilled around the derailment site which DEP will have access to for sampling.
Residents with concerns about private well water should contact the DEP Southwest Regional Office at 412-442-4000 for more information about well testing.
For more information, visit DEP’s Ohio/PA Train Derailment webpage.
NewsClips:
-- WESA: Pennsylvanians Near Ohio/PA Say They’ve Been Forgotten Across State Lines
-- ABC27: Sen. Mastriano Visits Ohio/PA Train Derailment Site [2 PA Senate Hearings Scheduled]
-- The Center Square Guest Essay: Pennsylvania Deserves Answers About Ohio/PA Train Derailment - Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Adams) [2 PA Senate Hearings Scheduled]
-- PennLive: Ohio Residents Fear Chemical Leak From Ohio/PA Train Derailment Could Shatter Live, Town Forever: ‘This Is Not OK’
-- PA Capital-Star Guest Essay: How Dangerous Was The Ohio/PA Chemical Train Derailment? An Expert Explains
-- WITF/NPR: Risks For Chemical Spills Are High, But Here’s How To Protect Yourself, Your Community
Related Articles:
-- Gov. Shapiro Lays Out Serious Concerns Regarding Norfolk Southern’s Incident Management After Meeting With Beaver County Officials [PaEN]
-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Pennsylvania Will Conduct Independent Water Sampling Following Ohio/PA Train Derailment [PaEN]
-- PA Agriculture On Ohio/PA Train Derailment Impacts: 2 Reports Of Horses Affected By Smoke Immediately Following Controlled Burn; No Reports Of Livestock, Domestic Animal Health Symptoms After [PaEN]
-- Two PA Senate Committees To Hold Hearings On Ohio/PA Train Derailment: Emergency Preparedness- Feb. 23; Transportation- Feb. 27 - Public Invited To Submit Questions To Transportation [PaEN]
[Posted: February 20, 2023] PA Environment Digest
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