Indiana Congressman Calls for Immediate Halt of Hazardous Shipments From Ohio Derailment

Some of the derailed railcars from when a Norfolk Southern freight train derailed are in the process of being cleaned up in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 9, 2023. Gene J. Puskar/AP Photo

Rep. Jim Baird (R-Ind.) urged the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) on Friday to immediately halt the transportation of contaminated materials from the East Palestine train derailment to a Roachdale facility.

“Last week, our state was blindsided by the announcement that the EPA would be relocating hazardous materials from the East Palestine train derailment to Roachdale,” Baird said in a statement. “Hoosiers deserve to know exactly what’s happening in their own backyard, and until we have full transparency and proper oversight, I am respectfully asking IDEM to halt further transportation of hazardous materials to our state.”

In his letter to IDEM Commissioner Brian Rockensuess, Baird cited his concerns about the potential risks to public safety and the environment. The 400-mile journey would likely see the contaminated materials travelling through Indianapolis, and the entirety of Ohio.

Baird criticized the EPA for not informing elected officials in advance about the shipments, despite their promise to do so. He demanded that the shipments to the Roachdale facility be stopped until two conditions were met.

First, all testing of the chemicals in the material being transported to the Roachdale facility must be openly disclosed by Norfolk Southern, the EPA, and IDEM. Second, he said that sufficient oversight of the company responsible for transporting and disposing of the contaminated material must be established.

The congressman noted that it was revealed during a town forum in Putnam County that three truckloads of the material had already arrived in Roachdale, and four more were expected to arrive soon.

“On the day of the surprise announcement, I made clear that blindsiding Hoosiers by rushing contaminated material across state lines is risky and irresponsible,” he wrote (pdf).

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the legislature at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, on Jan. 11, 2022. Darron Cummings, File/AP Photo

EPA Commits to Testing for Dioxins Before Shipments

After Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb objected to the shipments earlier this week, he revealed on Friday night that the EPA has now “provided us a written commitment” that any further contaminated material scheduled for shipment will be tested for dioxins.

“This is the right decision and I applaud the EPA for taking this important step. As for the materials that are already enroute prior to the EPA announcement, our teams have been working with the third-party lab to expedite the testing of those truck loads which should bear detailed results sometime early next week,” Holcomb wrote on Twitter. 

He added that samples would be taken on Saturday morning and tested the same day at Pace Laboratory.

“The site operator is supportive of this testing and has been cooperative in helping us carry this out,” Holcomb wrote, and pledged to share any results with the public openly and transparently as soon as they become available.

On Thursday, the EPA ordered freight train operator Norfolk Southern to test for dioxins after the company burned toxic pollutants from cargo on its derailed train last month.

Dioxins are a group of chemically-related compounds known as persistent environmental pollutants. They are found in any environment worldwide owing to common processes like burning wood or coal, and therefore end up in the food chain.

The toxic substance can be stored in the body’s fat tissue for an extended time and can cause reproductive and developmental problems, immune system damage, hormone interference, and cancer.

On Tuesday, Holcomb said a third party had informed him about the shipments on Monday, and he then directed Rockensuess to contact the EPA. He also requested to speak to an EPA administrator.

“The materials should go to the nearest facilities, not moved from the far eastern side of Ohio to the far western side of Indiana,” Holcomb said in a statement on Tuesday.

The Indiana Capital Chronicle previously reported that IDEM officials had told the outlet the agency didn’t have regulatory authority “to prevent hazardous waste disposal facilities from accepting materials for which they are permitted to handle and dispose.”

The Epoch Times contacted IDEM for comment.