Already, the rail company is facing several class-action lawsuits from members of the East Palestine community over the February 3 incident, which forced residents within a roughly 1-mile radius to evacuate their homes.
Some residents say they have faced health issues since the incident, while others say they have found dead animals, including fish and chicken, since the derailment. For the most part, those suing the railroad company say the evacuation has reduced their income, exposed them to cancer-causing chemicals and no longer felt safe in their homes.
Vinyl chloride, the chemical that was released by the railroad company, is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a carcinogen that may increase the risk of liver cancer or damage with regular exposure.
One of the class-action lawsuits alleges that the railroad company “discharged more cancer-causing vinyl chloride into the environment during one week than all industrial emitters combined did during one year”.
Norfolk Southern previously said it was “unable to comment directly on the lawsuit.” But in a public update on Thursday, the company said that in addition to the ongoing cleanup work, it was distributing more than $2 million in financial assistance to families and businesses to help with evacuation costs. It also said it was creating a $1 million fund for the community. The company did not immediately respond to a request for further comment on Monday.
In an open letter, Shaw promised to stay in the territory “as long as it ensures your security and helps East Palestine to recover and flourish.”
As of Sunday, the Environmental Protection Agency had assessed the indoor air in more than 530 homes in conjunction with Norfolk Southern, and had not detected vinyl chloride above levels of concern in any of them. Meanwhile, based on the results of samples and tests conducted by the EPA, Norfolk Southern and other agencies, Governor Mike DeWine said Thursday that the municipal water was safe to drink.
In an apparent effort to demonstrate that the water was safe to drink, the state EPA shared on Twitter a photo of agency officials and politicians, including East Palestine Mayor Trent Conway, “enjoying a glass of clean water.” ”
It said they were “pleased to see good data results that show the water in the village is safe to drink.”
Still, as concerns grow, Tuesday’s clinic will allow residents to receive health assessments and address their concerns.
“Last week, I was in East Palestine and heard many of the region’s residents express their concerns and fears,” state health director Bruce Vanderhoff said in a statement provided by the department. “I heard you, the state heard you, and now the Ohio Department of Health and many of our partner agencies are providing this clinic where people can come and discuss these important issues with medical providers. “
The clinic will be housed at First Church of Christ at 20 W. Martin St. Registered nurses and mental health specialists are expected to be on site. The health department said in a news release that a toxicologist will either be at the clinic or available by phone. A mobile unit operated by the Community Action Agency of Columbiana County will also be parked outside the church to accommodate more appointments.
The health department said community members can begin making appointments Monday by calling 234-564-7755 or 234-564-7888.
In a recent letter addressed to Shaw, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Norfolk Southern would need to maintain its stated commitments to those affected by the derailment.
“The people of East Palestine cannot be forgotten, nor can their pain be considered the cost of doing business,” he added.
