COLUMBUS, Ohio — The first hearing of the Ohio Senate Select Committee on Rail Safety was held on Wednesday, March 1.
The committee, chaired by Senator Bill Reineke (R) Tiffin and Vice Chair Michael Rulli (R) Salem, reviewed the Norfolk Southern train derailment.
“Ohioans see trains every day, and in some communities, it is a way of life, as children count the rail cars with their parents while stopped at a crossing,” said Senate President Matt Huffman in a press release. “The mission of the Senate Select Committee is clear. We need a complete understanding of why it happened, where the recovery stands now, and determine exactly how the Ohio General Assembly can best help our neighbors in East Palestine recover.”
They questioned state agency officials and experts who continue to work on the scene in East Palestine.
Lawmakers said they want to help get to the bottom of the contamination.
The agencies told lawmakers they will continue to test soil using proper guidelines from U.S. EPA.
Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson told committee members that she’s nervous about Lake Erie and any potential water contamination.
Ohio’s Environmental Protection Agency told lawmakers air sampling is also underway and that they are able to test for organic compounds that could cause potential health risks.
“They have their established drinking water. We are monitoring that on a weekly basis, so that’s step one. We’re ensuring that the village of East Palestine’s water is safe,” said Mark Johnson, Assistant Director Ohio EPA. “Including surrounding the derailment site, we currently have 10 monitoring wells that are in place and it’s kind of a parameter approach so they’re all downstream of where we anticipate the groundwater flowing.”
Ohio EPA says when they do soil testing they excavate the soil and remove liquid to make sure there is no spillage.
Future committee hearings will discuss the train derailment and contaminant situation in East Palestine, Ohio.
