The Future of East Palestine
The Next Steps
In the three weeks since the harrowing and seemingly unanswered pleas for help first emerged after the train derailment, the nation has watched the environmental disaster in East Palestine continue to play out. The event has also begun to take on more than a bit of political filtering as questions surrounding the long-term wellbeing of this community have dwelled on the minds of residents and “spectators.”
Starting yesterday, President Biden has directed teams from the CDC, the EPA, and FEMA to conduct door-to-door visits in the small Ohio town and to connect residents with available resources. This development comes on the heels of visits by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and former President Trump drawing their own sets of eyes.
Ultimately, even the activism of high-profile environmental advocates like Erin Brokovich can only compel attention for so long. The unfortunate truth is that these sorts of accidents in the transportation of hazardous materials are not really uncommon. What represents a life-changing tragedy for East Palestine will only make it the latest in a long list of damaged communities.
What happens to these residents after their exposure to vinyl chloride? What will happen to the lives that citizens have established in their hometown?
The Long-Term View
In the long-term it’s likely that a significant portion of the town will be added to the National Priorities List (a.k.a. the Superfund program). The Hazard Ranking System created by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980 provides a numerical framework (the Hazard Ranking System) for assessing contamination and adding it to the List.
Essentially the process boils down to an initial report (which can be made any party), a preliminary assessment by the EPA, and eventually, if called for, a more in-depth inspection process followed by a period of public commentary.
For East Palestine, the process was kicked off on February 3rd after Norfolk Southern reported the incident to the EPA shortly before 11 pm. Before 2 am, the EPA began the on-site air-quality monitoring that could stand as a preliminary assessment. The ongoing air, water, and soil monitoring that’s being conducted could eventually become the foundation for the in-depth assessment that can establish the area as a Superfund site.
The public commentary period allows community input for 60 days after a prospective site has been added to the Federal Register. The time is intended as an opportunity to share thoughts on moving forward with the site—but are often quite personal. Handwritten letters that have been scanned and uploaded by EPA employees share anxieties about potential exposures and long-term health concerns. Many just ask to stay informed. While studies have shown that EPA clean-up of Superfund sites is fairly effective—videos and letters from those affected underline very poignantly the importance of prioritizing the protection of communities before they come to need restoration.