Holcomb pushes back against train derailment waste coming to Indiana

The Tribune-Star, Terre Haute, Ind.
·2 min read

Feb. 28—Gov. Eric Holcomb is objecting to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) decision to transport hazardous materials from the East Palestine train derailment to an Indiana facility.

"I continue to object to the EPA Administrator's decision, from Washington, D.C., to move hazardous waste from the East Palestine train derailment to Indiana. Further, there has been a lack of communication with me and other Indiana officials about this decision," he said in a statement released Tuesday.

Holcomb learned third-hand Monday that materials will be transported to Indiana.

"I directed my environmental director to reach out to the agency. The materials should go to the nearest facilities, not moved from the far eastern side of Ohio to the far western side of Indiana. I have made a request to speak to the administrator to discuss this matter. I want to know exactly what precautions will be taken in the transport and disposition of the materials."

The EPA did not immediately respond to a message from the Indiana Capital Chronicle seeking comment.

The Associated Press reported that the EPA announced two new hazardous waste sites will receive some of the shipments from East Palestine — an incinerator in Grafton, Ohio, and a landfill in Roachdale, Indiana.

The EPA now is getting close to having enough certified facilities to take all of the waste from the site of the Feb. 3 derailment in East Palestine, said Debra Shore, a regional administrator with the agency. Some liquid and solid waste had already been taken to sites in Michigan and Texas.

About 1.8 million gallons of liquid waste have been collected from the derailment site, according to the Ohio EPA.

Associated Press said some of the remaining liquid waste is going to a facility in Vickery, Ohio, for disposal in an underground injection well. Norfolk Southern is also shipping solid waste to an incinerator in East Liverpool, Ohio.

The incident happened more than three weeks ago when 38 rail cars derailed. No one was injured but officials opted to release and burn toxic vinyl chloride from five tanker cars, sending black smoke billowing into the sky.