Shapiro announces 'long-term presence' of state resources for Beaver County residents impacted by derailment

UNDER THE INFLUENCE. THE CEO OF NORFOLK SOUTHERN, ALLAN SHORES, APPEARING BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE TODAY ABOUT THE TRAIN DERAILMENT IN EAST PALESTINE THAT RELEASED TOXIC CHEMICALS INTO THE AREA. SHE WAS TESTIFYING BEFORE THE SENATE VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE IN HARRISBURG EARLIER THIS MONTH. DURING A PREVIOUS U.S. SENATE HEARING SHORE APOLOGIZED AND SAID THE COMPANY WOULD HELP THE COMMUNITY RECOVER. TODAY, SHORE’S MESSAGE REMAINED THE SAME. NORFOLK SOUTHERN CONTINUES TO MAKE GOOD ON HIS PROMISE TO CLEAN THE SITE SAFELY, THOROUGHLY AND WITH URGENCY. YOU HAVE MY PERSONAL COMMITMENT. WE WILL GET THE JOB DONE AND WE WILL HELP THESE COMMUNITIES THRIVE. TODAY’S HEARING WILL ALSO HAVE TESTIMONY FROM BOB COMBER, A FORENSIC RAILROAD ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR WHO HAS INVESTIGATED MORE THAN 800 RAIL ACCIDENTS NATIONWIDE. WE’RE GOING TO BE FOLLOWING THIS DEVELOPING STORY. WELL, MUCH MORE ON THE HEARING LATER THIS AFTERNOON IN OUR NEWSCAST. SO STAY TUNED FOR THAT. TODAY MARKS SIX WEEKS, BY THE WAY, SINCE THAT CONTROLLED RELEASE OF THE TOXIC CHEMICALS INSIDE THOSE TRAIN CARS. AND THIS NOON, THE CLEANUP PROCESS OF THE CONTAMINATED SOIL TRACKS AND TRAIN CARS CONTINUES. ON FRIDAY, THE EPA RELEASED A NEW TIMELINE SAYING THEY ANTICIPATE THE CLEANUP TO TAKE THREE MONTHS, ADDING THAT COULD CHANGE BASED ON CONDITIONS LIKE WEATHER AND THEIR ACCESS TO FACILITIES TO TAKE THE CONTAMINATED MATERIALS. THE EPA HAS VOWED TO MAKE NORFOL

State resources for Pennsylvania residents impacted by the East Palestine train derailment are sticking around. Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Monday a long-term presence in Darlington Township of staff from the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture, environmental protection and health. Carol Williams was one of the first people to come to the health resource center when it first opened in February.“It was nice. I talked to people, and I told them I would like to get my soil and water tested, and I gave my name, but that's down the road,” Carol Williams said.While residents, like Williams, continue to navigate the unknown following the train derailment, the health resource center will be available to them once a week, starting this Thursday.“One of the main reasons we wanted to stay is we know there is an obvious interest in getting information as well as connecting with the state agencies that are part of this overall response,” press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Mark O’Neill said.O’Neill said more than 550 people have used the health resource center so far.“There should be a doctor on site, people from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health,” O’Neill said.O’Neill said the same services will be available when the resource center re-opens later this week, from health assessments to inquiring about air, soil, and water quality testing.“We can provide new updated information as we moved away from the initial response. This is more we are continued to be here, and we will continue to work with you,” O’Neill said.In a time of uncertainty, residents said the center is a way to give the community a sense of relief.“It's like everybody else, you are just worried about the long-term effects is the main thing,” Williams said.“We all have different parts to this, but we are continuing to be committed to help the residents, especially on the Pennsylvania side of this incident,” O’Neill said.Starting on Thursday, staff will be at the Darlington Township building every Thursday from 12 to 5 p.m. to meet with residents.Open house events will also be held Thursday evenings from 6 until 8 p.m.

State resources for Pennsylvania residents impacted by the East Palestine train derailment are sticking around.

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Monday a long-term presence in Darlington Township of staff from the Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture, environmental protection and health.

Carol Williams was one of the first people to come to the health resource center when it first opened in February.

“It was nice. I talked to people, and I told them I would like to get my soil and water tested, and I gave my name, but that's down the road,” Carol Williams said.

While residents, like Williams, continue to navigate the unknown following the train derailment, the health resource center will be available to them once a week, starting this Thursday.

“One of the main reasons we wanted to stay is we know there is an obvious interest in getting information as well as connecting with the state agencies that are part of this overall response,” press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Mark O’Neill said.

O’Neill said more than 550 people have used the health resource center so far.

“There should be a doctor on site, people from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Health,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill said the same services will be available when the resource center re-opens later this week, from health assessments to inquiring about air, soil, and water quality testing.

“We can provide new updated information as we moved away from the initial response. This is more we are continued to be here, and we will continue to work with you,” O’Neill said.

In a time of uncertainty, residents said the center is a way to give the community a sense of relief.

“It's like everybody else, you are just worried about the long-term effects is the main thing,” Williams said.

“We all have different parts to this, but we are continuing to be committed to help the residents, especially on the Pennsylvania side of this incident,” O’Neill said.

Starting on Thursday, staff will be at the Darlington Township building every Thursday from 12 to 5 p.m. to meet with residents.

Open house events will also be held Thursday evenings from 6 until 8 p.m.

Shapiro announces 'long-term presence' of state resources for Beaver County residents impacted by derailment

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