(EAST PALESTINE, Ohio)— The following are updates from the State of Ohio regarding remediation work at the site of the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.

New, Permanent East Palestine Health Clinic Opening

East Liverpool City Hospital, with support from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), will open a new, permanent health clinic in East Palestine on Monday.

The East Liverpool City Hospital East Palestine Clinic will be located at 139 North Walnut St. It replaces ODH’s temporary East Palestine Health Assessment Clinic, which opened Feb. 21.

The new clinic will offer the same services as the former clinic, but will also provide traditional comprehensive primary care, including treatment, prescriptions, lab testing, and consultation with specialists where appropriate. Physicians, registered nurses, and mental health specialists will be on hand to provide services. The clinic is a chance for residents to discuss health concerns and receive a health assessment. Referrals will be made if needed.

Many in the East Palestine community do not have primary care providers. The state will be providing funding to ensure the clinic remains available and free for those without insurance coverage.

The clinic will open to patients at 2 p.m. on Monday, and after that, hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Appointments are needed and can be made by calling 330-383-6020.

Plant Tissue Testing

The Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and The Ohio State University (OSU) have finalized an Agricultural Plant Tissue Sampling Plan and will next week begin collecting plant tissue samples from East Palestine area farms. ODA and OSU established a procedure to sample and analyze plant tissue materials in Columbiana County to address concerns of the local agricultural community following the Norfolk Southern Railroad train derailment.

ODA plant health inspectors will collect samples of growing crops, specifically winter wheat, pasture grasses, malting barley, and forage covers, which will then be sent to an OSU lab for testing. The plant tissue samples will be analyzed for the presence of a focused list of semi-volatile organic compounds.

OSU, in coordination with local partners, has identified proposed sampling locations within a five-mile radius of the train derailment site. Farmers have been notified of the date and time  that plant health inspectors plan a visit to collect samples. ODA and OSU will communicate to landowners the results of the testing, followed by a public release of the results.

Track and Soil Removal

The sampled soil beneath the south rail line meets the clean standards determined by state and federal authorities. As a result of these findings, contractors have been cleared to rebuild the south rail line. As pictured below, a gravel bed has been placed and compacted in preparation for laying new tracks. Removal of the north track will begin once the south track is fully in place.

Hazardous Waste Removal

According to the Ohio EPA, approximately 10.8 million gallons of liquid wastewater have been hauled out of East Palestine in total. There is currently a pile of approximately 17,400 tons of excavated soil waiting for removal from East Palestine, versus 18,900 tons that have been removed. 

Necropsy Results

The Ohio Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory received a deceased chicken on March 16 from a backyard flock in the East Palestine area. Final lab results show no evidence to support chemical toxicity as a cause of death.