Following the derailment of about 50 train cars in East Palestine, Ohio, more than a week ago and the subsequent controlled release of vinyl chloride into the air to prevent an explosion, residents as far away as Pittsburgh are wondering about potential health impacts.
Elected officials are on alert, too: Senators from Pennsylvania and Ohio released a joint statement on Wednesday calling for additional testing and for the freight train’s owner, Norfolk Southern Railway, to be held accountable. It was sent to Environmental Protection Agency administrator Michael Regan, and followed a letter to Norfolk Southern from Gov. Josh Shapiro the day prior.
“Given the rural nature of this community, many residents rely on private drinking water wells that are not connected to a public water supply system, and therefore may need additional testing from EPA to ensure the safety of their drinking water sources,” the senators wrote in their statement. “We are deeply concerned for the safety of the community in the impacted area.”
