Senator Roegner Statement on Norfolk Southern Derailment

COLUMBUS—State Senator Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) has issued the following statement on cleanup efforts following the train derailment in East Palestine:
 
Ohio is home to a large amount of rail traffic. It is imperative that our communities, neighbors, and first responders know exactly what is being transported. In this derailment the train was carrying high-hazard tankers, but because the train didn’t reach the percentage of high-hazard cars required, the train wasn’t designated as such under federal law. This is very concerning and unacceptable.
 
I’ve had several people ask me whether the water is safe to drink. Even though we in Summit County live north of the derailment, Ohioans who live both upstream and downstream of the site are right to ask questions.
 
If you depend on well water or water from a cistern it is recommended by the CDC to have your water tested annually for contaminants, as a matter of standard practice. At this time only those in Columbiana County, where the derailment occurred, are receiving this service for free.

Here is a link provided by the Summit County Health Department that lists water testing services, including those available in our area.

Here is a link to the Ohio Emergency Management Agency’s webpage for East Palestine Derailment Information. It contains information on water sampling and air monitoring, answers to frequently asked questions, and contact numbers for services offered by the Ohio EPA.

If you receive water from the municipal water system, this water is continually tested and treated through a filtration system. Those communities are watching the results closely.
 
Appropriately, Norfolk Southern has pledged to responsibly clean up the site and the affected areas, and to do whatever is necessary to make East Palestine recover and thrive. We will hold them to their word.