REP. SYKES ISSUES STATEMENT ON EAST PALESTINE TRAIN DERAILMENT
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Representative Emilia Strong Sykes (OH-13) issued the following statement regarding the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio:
“Our entire community has been deeply impacted by the Norfolk Southern train crash and the ecological disaster created in its wake. To the people of East Palestine and the neighboring areas, know I’ve closely monitored this situation from the beginning, and I will remain engaged to ensure the needs of our communities are supported and prioritized during this difficult time,” said Rep. Sykes. “I am thankful to the first responders and local officials, including members of the Stark County Emergency Management Agency, who quickly assessed the emergency of this situation and worked diligently to help our neighbors.
“The movement of air and water transcends congressional district boundaries; therefore, my staff and I have been in contact with Congressman Johnson, Senator Brown, Gov. DeWine and other state and federal agencies, including the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as Norfolk Southern, to provide clarity on what happened, identify all avenues available to support the people and communities most impacted, and determine how to implement guard rails and preventative measures to stop a disaster like this from happening again.
“The concern from Northeast Ohioans is palpable, with many wondering whether their water is safe to drink or if the air is safe to breathe. In times like these, accurate and timely information is crucial and can save lives. Here’s what we know so far:
- Re-entry air screenings are underway. Community air monitoring will continue operating 24 hours a day. As of February 13, 291 homes have been screened. To date, no detections of vinyl chloride or hydrogen chloride were identified for the completed screened homes. There are 181 homes that remain to be screened.
- The U.S. EPA’s network of air monitoring stations throughout the East Palestine area did not detect anything that requires action by residents at this time.
- Residents may still smell odors from the site. If you experience symptoms, public health departments recommend calling your medical provider.
- Ohio EPA is leading efforts to investigate and remediate impacts to water. To support these efforts, U.S. EPA took water samples in Sulphur Run and will collect more samples of surface water at several points of nearby water streams.
“My office is committed to sharing additional information as it becomes available. In the meantime, I encourage residents who have safety concerns to request air monitoring at their homes by calling the residential re-entry request hotline at (330) 849-3919. Residents that have evacuated and need assistance can call the Family Assistance Center at (800) 230-7049. Residents can also call the U.S. EPA Information Line at (215) 814-2400 for more information.
“The importance of strengthening our infrastructure and ensuring our methods of transporting hazardous materials are operating safely and effectively throughout the country cannot be overstated. As the sole Ohioan on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I will continue working to improve our infrastructure, protect our communities, and guarantee the transportation of goods and materials operates safely and efficiently across the country.”