CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The federal government is moving ahead with plans to dispose of hazardous waste from that Ohio train derailment.
The Norfolk Southern Train derailed more than three weeks ago.
The Environmental Protection Agency said a shipment of contaminated liquid and solid waste will head to two EPA Facilities in Ohio today. The U.S. environmental agency is assuring residents that all the toxic waste will be disposed of in a quote "safe and lawful manner."
Norfolk Southern is helping with the cleanup. E.P.A.'s regional administrator said federal, state, and local governments will closely monitor the operation to make sure the waste is safely removed. Right now, more than 100,000 gallons of liquid waste and five truckloads of soil need removal.
"I continue to be pleased that there have been no exceedances for residential air quality standards and outdoor air quality remains normal,” Debra Shore of Region 5 Administrator, EPA said.
A White House official said members of the federal emergency management agency, EPA, and the CDC began distributing informational flyers and conducting health surveys over the weekend.
Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report on the investigation. It concluded that the wreck was 100 percent preventable. The EPA is scheduled to hold its next public meeting for residents on March 2.
