EPA Pauses Derailment Waste Removal

February 26, 2023 7:54 am

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio (AP) — Federal environmental authorities have ordered a temporary halt in the shipment of contaminated waste from the site of a fiery train derailment in Ohio involving hazardous materials. Region 5 administrator Debra Shore of the Environmental Protection Agency said Saturday the agency had ordered Norfolk Southern to “pause” shipments from the East Palestine derailment but vowed that removal of the material would resume soon. She said officials had heard concerns from residents and others in a number of states. No one was injured when 38 cars derailed Feb. 3 but fears of a potential explosion prompted an evacuation and a controlled burn of toxic vinyl chloride.