Following the spillage of toxic chemicals from a train derailment that happened on Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Norfolk Southern has laid out the steps it plans to take to clean up the site.
The steps were detailed in a Remedial Action Work Plan created by Arcadis on behalf of Norfolk Southern.
According to the plan, work has already been done to collect pooled liquids into a vacuum truck and prepare them for disposal. Surface water flow has been rerouted away from the derailment site and underflow dams are in place. The plan states that 180,000 gallons of liquid have been removed from the area.
Additional work currently being done is air quality monitoring with soil and surface water sampling pending. Well water is being sampled as well. The results for those tests are not available yet.
Shallow soil will be removed "to reduce direct contact risk." The plan said soil sampling is scheduled to happen in "the next several days." Groundwater characterization is set to begin either concurrently with soil sampling or shortly thereafter.
Norfolk Southern will install groundwater monitoring wells to "evaluate the nature and extent of groundwater impacts associated with the derailment," the plan states.
The plan contains an outline of future objectives but at this time, the "precise nature and extent of impacts requiring remediation is not fully known," the plan said.
Future objectives include:
- Removal of readily available separate-phase liquid for purposes of overall COC mass reduction.
- Mitigation of ongoing expansion or migration of COC impacts to the extent practicable.
- Protection of ecological or human health receptors in Sulphur Run and downgradient surface water bodies.
- Protection of human health via prevention of exposure to impacted soil posing a direct contact risk, impacted drinking water, or impacted soil vapor.
- Removal of readily addressable impacts to storm sewers and similar structures.
RELATED: ODNR estimates 3,500 fish killed by East Palestine train derailment, spill
The train derailment resulted in the deaths of 3,500 fish, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources estimated, across approximately 7.5 miles of streams.
The thousands of dead fish were located in Leslie Run, Bull Creek and a portion of the North Fork of Beaver Creek.
You can read the full action plan below:
