(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.

Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee Hearing

Ohio EPA Director Anne Vogel testified before the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday concerning Ohio EPA's ongoing work to help clean up and restore the derailment site in East Palestine. Director Vogel's testimony can be found at epa.ohio.gov. 

Hazardous Waste Removal

According to the Ohio EPA, approximately 9.27 million gallons of liquid wastewater have been hauled out of East Palestine in total. There is currently a pile of approximately 23,000 tons of excavated soil waiting for removal from East Palestine, versus 11,900 tons that have been removed. 

Additional Public Drinking Water System Treatment

Weekly monitoring of water at the village municipal wells and of treated drinking water continues, and results to date have not shown any contamination related to the derailment.

As a precaution, the Village of East Palestine has worked with its consultant and Ohio EPA to identify additional measures to ensure the long-term sustainability of the water supply. This week, the village approved the receipt of $425,499 from Norfolk Southern to proactively obtain and install carbon filtration at their water treatment plant. This is part of a contingency plan to ensure that East Palestine has the proper treatment in place moving forward. 

Ohio EPA is working closely with the village for the needed engineering review and approvals to expedite the completion of this important proactive and protective measure. 

Monitoring Well Results

A series of monitoring wells were installed in the immediate vicinity of the derailment and between the derailment site and the village’s wellfield to monitor ground water for the potential of contaminants associated with the incident. Five monitoring wells have been drilled so far, and results to date have shown no chemicals associated with the derailment in the water.

Water monitoring is a long-term process, and there currently is no end date for monitoring. The latest results are available at: https://epa.ohio.gov/divisions-and-offices/drinking-and-ground-waters/reports-and-data/ep-drinking-water-results

Private Well Testing

Water sample results from private water systems of East Palestine area homes continue to show no harmful levels of contaminants.

The Ohio Department of Health and the Columbiana County Health District received verified laboratory results from 15 additional samples from private water systems as of noon Wednesday. None of the wells showed detectable contaminants.

In total, test results from 188 samples have been verified, and none have shown any harmful contaminant levels associated with the derailment.

The results can be found on the Columbiana County Health Department site at https://www.columbiana-health.org/resources/.

Residents near East Palestine who would like their private water system sampled should call 330-849-3919.

Cat Necropsies:

The Ohio Department of Agriculture's Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL) announced that final lab results on two deceased stray cats from the East Palestine area show no evidence of chemical toxicity as a cause of death. The cats had been in veterinary care with upper respiratory issues prior to submission to the ADDL.

If your animal has died for an unknown reason, contact your local veterinarian for further consultation and guidance. The general public cannot submit an animal or tissue sample to the ADDL without a veterinarian order.

Surveying First Responders/Resident Survey Update

Since Feb. 21, the Ohio Department of Health, in conjunction with federal partners, has been surveying East Palestine residents about any symptoms they are experiencing related to the derailment.

On March 5, the health department began surveying those who were first responders to the derailment. The department held a roll-out meeting with various organizations to provide information and answer questions about the survey and is reaching out through emails and flyers, as well, to encourage participation.

Both surveys are called ACE (after chemical exposure) surveys, but responders are asked several different questions, such as how many shifts they worked, as well as what PPE they may have worn.

Of 207 respondents, the top five symptoms first responders reported were:

Stuffy nose/sinus congestion – 27.1%.

Runny nose – 25.6%.

Increased congestion/phlegm – 22.2%.

Burning nose or throat – 20.8%.

Hoarseness – 15.5%.

The community ACE survey now has been taken by 514 residents. Residents can take the survey through a healthcare provider or at the ODH Health Assessment Clinic in East Palestine.

The top 4 symptoms residents report have remained the same throughout the survey period:

Headache – 74.4%.

Anxiety – 61.1%.

Coughing – 53.4%.

Fatigue/tiredness – 52.6%.

Recently, stuffy nose/sinus congestion, reported by 49.9% of residents who responded, has overtaken irritation, pain, or burning of the skin (49.5%) as the 5^th most common symptom reported.

Health Assessment Clinic

The Ohio Department of Health’s Health Assessment Clinic in East Palestine, operating in partnership with the Columbiana County Health District, is operating on a walk-in basis. Residents should arrive at least an hour before closing to ensure there is enough time to be served.

Clinic hours for the remainder of this week are:

Wednesday: Noon to 8 p.m.

Thursday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The clinic is located at the First Church of Christ, 20 West Martin St. For information, call the Columbiana County Health District at 330-424-0272.