March 6, 2024
FOIA Request Regarding Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Sampling Protocols Filed following the East Palestine Train Derailment
WASHINGTON — Today, we announced the filing of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request aimed at obtaining crucial information regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) response to the East Palestine Train Derailment (EPTD).
The FOIA request seeks access to records and communications concerning the methodologies employed by the EPA in testing and sampling air, water, soil, and groundwater in the aftermath of the EPTD, which occurred from February 3, 2023, through February 3, 2024.
Specifically, the request includes a demand for documents such as field sampling protocols, correspondence, memoranda, emails, reports, assessments, and studies related to the testing and sampling methodologies. Additionally, we are seeking quantitative criteria used by the EPA to determine the need for additional sampling or the presence of significant hazards or risks, as well as information on indicator compounds used to detect the likely formation of dioxins and furans.
Lesley Pacey, our Environmental Investigator, emphasized the importance of this FOIA request, stating,
“Our aim is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategies employed by the EPA and its contractors in assessing the environmental impacts of the East Palestine Train Derailment. We are particularly interested in the reasoning behind the decisions made regarding sampling methodologies and the potential implications for public health and environmental safety.”
Contact: Mary Allain, Interim Communications Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 926-3304
Government Accountability Project
Government Accountability Project is the nation’s leading whistleblower protection organization. Through litigating whistleblower cases, publicizing concerns and developing legal reforms, Government Accountability Project’s mission is to protect the public interest by promoting government and corporate accountability. Founded in 1977, Government Accountability Project is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.
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