Indiana lawmakers demand answers on hazardous material sent to state from East Palestine
WASHINGTON - Two lawmakers from Indiana are looking for answers on why hazardous materials from the East Palestine train derailment are being sent to the state.
Senator Mike Braun and Congressman Jim Baird sent a letter to EPA Administrator Michael Regan demanding answers on why the hazardous materials were stopped while on the way to an EPA-approved facility in Michigan and redirected to Indiana.
According to the release, the EPA started shipping the contaminated soil and water to a facility in Michigan but lawmakers from the state held a news conference saying they didn't want the material in their state.
Braun and Baird say the EPA announced they halted the cleanup and delivery to the Michigan facility within 30 minutes and the materials were taken back to East Palestine.
According to the release, the EPA announced on February 27 that a facility in North Roachdale, Indiana would begin to receive the contaminated materials. They claim the EPA said they'd notify materials but Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb said he learned about it "third-hand."
Senator Braun and Congressman Baird said the Roachdale facility is the first facility outside of Ohio to receive the materials after the EPA exerted control over the cleanup. They also noted that Roachdale is further away from East Palestine than the Michigan facility.
"We are concerned that, rather than a matter of safety, the decision to halt the Norfolk Southern cleanup was made in response to objections from elected officials in Michigan," Senator Braun and Congressman Baird wrote in the letter to Administrator Regan.
The letter requests answers to a number of questions including:
- Exactly when did EPA decide to halt the Norfolk Southern cleanup?
- Why did EPA recertify the Vickery, Ohio and East Liverpool, Ohio facilities, but not the Belleville, Michigan; Romulus, Michigan; or Deer Park, Texas facilities?
- What on-site testing procedures are in place in East Palestine to test contaminated materials for the types and levels of contamination before they are transported to a facility for disposal?
"I am opposed to the transfer of hazardous materials from the East Palestine train derailment into Indiana. The Biden EPA and Transportation Department have mishandled this disaster from day one. Any material from this disaster being transferred to Indiana overseen by this Biden EPA is seriously concerning. Hoosiers' safety is my top priority," Senator Braun said regarding the transfer.
"For over a week, this administration has failed to properly address the public safety crisis created by the train derailment in Ohio, and now they're blindsiding neighboring states by hastily relocating hazardous materials across state lines, jeopardizing countless Americans," said Congressman Baird. "There are very serious implications associated with the relocation of such serious carcinogens, and this administration has a responsibility to carefully weigh the safest options before making rash decisions. My responsibility is to keep my constituents safe, and I will continue to push for transparency and stand up for the safety and well-being of the Hoosiers I'm proud to represent."
To date, approximately 750 tons of solid waste have been taken to North Roachdale to be placed in a landfill, according to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's Office.
