LIATHANO RAMIREZ
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
HANNAH STIFFLER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
3/13/2023
The Gilded Age is known for the expansion of railroads. In the 1900s, trains revolutionized the economy beyond imagination. Despite the positives of train transportation, there are continual mechanical errors that have led to environmental catastrophes.
On Feb. 3, 2023 in East Palestine, Ohio, a train derailed causing a fire. The Norfolk Southern Freight train detailed 150 rail cars that carried hazardous chemicals such as butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and isobutylene. Around 5,000 residents had to evacuate from their homes.
As reported by CNBC, Ohio was the third derailment that month. “According to the Federal Railroad Administration, there were about 3 derailments per day in 2022 involving hazardous materials,” said Chair of the Environmental Studies, Professor Murray Borrello.
“If you think this is acceptable, you should be traveling to those places where people’s health and lives are at risk and explain why tighter regulations don’t make sense. This is unconscionable in my opinion,” said Borrello.
On Feb. 16, 2023 in Van Buren Township, Michigan, Norfolk Southern was responsible for another train derailing. There were no hazardous materials. Despite there being no injuries or negative impact to the environment, Michiganders are worried about more train derailments in the near future.
According to the New York Times on Feb. 21, there was an estimated 1.1M gallons of water and 15K pounds of soil contaminated. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources has estimated 3,500 fish have died in creeks and rivers in the surrounding ecosystem.
Although the derailments following the East Palestine incident did not contain hazardous materials, the devastation to the environment continues to be felt. State and federal officials have said the water and air are safe, but recommend drinking bottled water as there is continual water testing.
The symptoms of exposure to toxic chemicals like vinyl chloride and butyl acrylate have been reported by residents surrounding the incident via health assessment survey.
“I think that if the US [Environmental Protection Agency] and the State of Ohio do not take symptoms reported by residents seriously they are either avoiding facing a difficult reality, or they think people are trying to scam the system,” said Borrello.
There appears to be a lack of accountability and awareness of the potential hazardous material transported by trains. The EPA must determine the most effective national solution to derailing cars, whether the accountability lies solely with Norfolk Southern, or other operating train companies.
On Mar. 4 2023 there was another Norfolk Southern train derailment containing no hazardous materials.
Although the derailments following the East Palestine incident did not contain hazardous materials, the devastation to the environment continues to be felt. State and federal officials have said the water and air are safe, but recommend drinking bottled water as there is continual water testing.
If there is insinuation that the water in Ohio is even remotely harmful, it is unethical to allow people to reside within the area waiting for clean-up.
The EPA has a legally binding order that Norfolk Southern must clean-up and pay for the cost of clean-up in East Palestine OH. The Norfolk Southern Railway CEO testified last week in a hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee.
