On March 28, the House Energy and Commerce Environment, Manufacturing, and Critical Materials Subcommittee convened a hearing titled, “Government Response to East Palestine: Ensuring Safety and Transparency for the Community.” Three witnesses were called to testify at the hearing: Debra Shore, Regional Administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Anne M. Vogel, Director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency; and Wesley Vins, Health Commissioner of the Columbiana County Health District and NACCHO member.
Subcommittee Chairman Bill Johnson’s (R-OH) district includes East Palestine, where a Norfolk Southern train derailed in February, and he started the hearing by stating that its goal was to get answers about the chemical waste cleanup process, continued monitoring for air, water, and soil contaminants, and long-term health impacts for East Palestine residents. Chair Johnson was complimentary of all three witnesses’ work so far in the response efforts. He extended a special welcome to Wes Vins, saying he had “been on the front lines since the very beginning” and “is a problem solver” whose “input will be extremely valuable” to the subcommittee.
Administrator Shore and Director Vogel both testified to the state and federal partnerships that are imperative in the immediate and long-term response to the crisis, including clean-up plans and continued monitoring of the environment. The U.S. EPA is using the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly known as CERCLA or Superfund, to hold Norfolk Southern accountable for clean-up and remediation. Wes Vins spoke to Columbiana County’s commitment to serving their residents with a Health Assessment Clinic that offers an Assessment of Chemical Exposure (ACE) Survey for residents in addition to toxicology and mental health counseling. He also discussed how the county is monitoring drinking water from residential wells. Several Democratic subcommittee members expressed frustration that Norfolk Southern was not invited to the hearing. Chair Johnson said the company will be invited to a later hearing.
