NTSB Testimony Proves Lack of Communication and Concern for East Palestine Officials and Residents

March 7, 2024 

NTSB Testimony Proves Lack of Communication and Concern for East Palestine Officials and Residents 

 

WASHINGTON – On February 6, 2023, following the derailment of several train cars carrying chemicals, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notice to detonate the chemicals in the trains, out of fear that there would be an explosion. Yesterday, in a Congressional hearing, the National Transportation Safety Board chair, Jennifer Homendy, testified the site did not need to be burned and there were safer options. The fire chief of East Palestine and other local officials were given incomplete information to approve the decision of the controlled explosion in 13 minutes with no other options offered. What they were not told was that the train cars were cooling in temperature and held no threat of a larger explosion. The EPA appears to have violated its own statutes when it allowed the open burn.

Chairperson Homendy’s testimony showed the breakdown in communication between Norfolk Southern, the state of Ohio, the incident commander and other members of Unified Command including the EPA concerning the decision to commence the vent and burn of vinyl chloride and other toxic chemicals. This was just the beginning of the lies, misinformation, and lack of transparency with not only the local officials, but also the residents.  

The U.S. government needs to hold the EPA, Norfolk Southern, its contractors, and other key players accountable though Congressional hearings and increased oversight in their decision to knowingly allow toxic chemicals including dioxin, phosgene, benzene and more than 100 toxic chemicals to be released into the village and surrounding communities.  

Environmental Investigator, Lesley Pacey, commented:  

“Yesterday’s hearing confirmed our worst fears: Norfolk Southern and its contractors knew that the vinyl chloride train cars were not in danger of exploding but they deliberately failed to convey this crucial information to decision-makers at the state and local level. As the On Scene Commander of this disaster, the EPA should have prevented this detonation from happening. Instead, the EPA acquiesced to the railroad on this decision and has been doing so ever since as it has allowed railroad contractors to provide nearly all the testing to assure residents their environment is safe. Nothing could be future from the truth. The resulting chemical bomb created an unprecedented dioxin event that exposed East Palestine and surrounding communities to multiple chemical mixtures resulting in a litany of health issues. Now that we know that the decision to vent and burn was based on lies, the EPA, Norfolk Southern and its contractors must be held accountable.” 

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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