The Biden-Harris Administration’s Commitment to the People of East Palestine is Unwavering

October 17, 2023

On the evening of February 3, 2023, a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying millions of pounds of hazardous chemicals derailed in East Palestine, Ohio—releasing toxic chemicals into soil, streams, and air—and upending lives in a small, tight-knit community.

Within hours of the derailment, under President Biden’s leadership, his Administration, along with federal, state, and local officials, sprang into action. First responders from the Environmental Protection Agency arrived on the scene—and we haven’t left since.

I took my first trip to East Palestine back in February, shortly after the derailment, and spoke with residents who felt unsafe in their homes. I met with folks who worried about the short and long-term environmental consequences facing everyone touched by the crisis. It was heart-wrenching to hear from parents who feared for the health and safety of their children. I also met with students, business owners, and community leaders who were deeply concerned about the quality of their air and water.

That day, I committed to the people of East Palestine that EPA would stand with them, shoulder-to-shoulder on the long road ahead. Today, I return to East Palestine for the fourth time with a clear and unequivocal message: We’ve still got your back. We are making steady progress, and we remain absolutely committed to protecting public health and the environment in East Palestine.

Shortly after the disaster, President Biden vowed to hold Norfolk Southern accountable and committed to mobilizing every tool available to assist the people of East Palestine during their time of need. Recently, he doubled down on that commitment by issuing an Executive Order outlining a series of coordinated federal actions to ensure that Norfolk Southern continues to be held accountable, while working in concert to support the existing needs and recovery of the community.

EPA is following the President’s leadership and continues to direct the cleanup in East Palestine, support emergency response efforts, collect and analyze thousands of air, water and soil samples, coordinate with state and local officials, and to provide critical support to a deeply concerned and traumatized community.

Here are a few key areas of progress:

• First, since the disaster, EPA has collected more than 100 million air monitoring data points and more than 25 thousand samples in and around the community. This data collection continues, and ongoing science-based reviews show that residents of East Palestine are not in danger from contaminated drinking water, soil, or air from the derailment. We will continue this work to provide the reassurances East Palestine and the surrounding communities deserve.
• Second, since the start of the cleanup, we’ve made tremendous progress—excavating and disposing more than 115,000 tons of contaminated soil. Additionally, last month, EPA approved a plan for Norfolk Southern to begin treating wastewater on-site so it can be safely disposed off-site as non-hazardous water. This will have many benefits, including fewer wastewater hauling trucks in the community, a smaller operational footprint, and significantly less transport of hazardous waste through East Palestine.
• Third, EPA ordered Norfolk Southern to complete a number of removal activities at the site and progress continues on this front. Additionally, EPA has been monitoring Norfolk Southern's work to provide temporary relocation assistance to residents who have felt unsafe in their homes. As the voluntary relocation program winds down, EPA is overseeing an indoor cleaning program which the agency ordered Norfolk Southern to provide to eligible residents.

To be sure, our work continues. EPA maintains a strong presence on the ground through our Welcome Center at 25 North Market St. in downtown East Palestine. And we remain in close contact with parents and community members, including some who have told us about ongoing health concerns. Our team continues to listen and respond to these concerns.

This community has already suffered too much, but we are committed to reducing the impacts the derailment has on day-to-day life for East Palestine residents. We will continue to inform and empower the community with the tools and resources needed to address this difficult situation.

President Biden has mobilized a whole-of-government approach to support the people of East Palestine. EPA is proud to work alongside our federal, state and local partners. Together, we will not rest until the job is done, and done right.

About the Author

Michael Regan
EPA Administrator
Office of the Administrator

Michael S. Regan was sworn in as the 16th Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency on March 11, 2021, becoming the first Black man and second person of color to lead the U.S. EPA.

Prior to his nomination as EPA Administrator, Michael Regan served as the Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) where he spearheaded the development and implementation of North Carolina's seminal plan to address climate change and transition the state to a clean energy economy.

Previously, Administrator Regan served as Associate Vice President of U.S. Climate and Energy, and as Southeast Regional Director of the Environmental Defense Fund. He began his career with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, eventually becoming a national program manager responsible for designing strategic solutions with industry and corporate stakeholders to reduce air pollution, improve energy efficiency and address climate change.

Throughout his career, he has been guided by a belief in forming consensus, fostering an open dialogue rooted in respect for science and the law, and an understanding that environmental protection and economic prosperity go hand in hand.

A native of Goldsboro, North Carolina, Administrator Regan is a graduate of the North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University – making him the first EPA Administrator to have graduated from a Historically Black College and University. He earned a master's degree in Public Administration from The George Washington University. He and his wife Melvina are proud parents to their son, Matthew.