TO SOME OF THESE FARMS. THE EPA AND STATE AGENCIES SPENT TODAY WITH BOOTS ON THE GROUND LISTENING TO FARMERS EXPERIENCES FOLLOWING THE EAST PALESTINE TRAIN DERAILMENT. FARMERS TELL ME THEY WANT TO SEE TRANSPARENCY AND RESOURCES SHOULD THEIR FARMS EVER EXPERIENCE LONG TERM EFFECTS BOTH ENVIRONMENTALLY AND FINANCIALLY. WHO WOULD HAVE EXPECTED SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN? THE CONTROLLED RELEASE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS FOLLOWING THE NORFOLK SOUTHERN TRAIN DERAILMENT. HOW FAR IS YOUR FARM FROM THE DERAILMENT SITE? WE’RE ABOUT THREE AND A HALF MILES SOUTHEAST. SO LIKE UP THERE, YOU KNOW, THE THE BIG DARK CLOUD FROM THE VENT BURN WAS KIND OF COMING FROM THAT DIRECTION. AND THEY HAD TO WORRY ABOUT ALL OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CITY CENTER. YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OUT IN RURAL DARLINGTON WERE WE AS MUCH OF A CONCERN? NOT IMMEDIATELY. BUT RACHEL WAGNER CO-MANAGER OF TALL PINES FARMS IN DARLINGTON TOWNSHIP, SAYS THAT CHANGED SOON AFTER WITH AN OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION WITH STATE AND FEDERAL ENVIRONMENTAL AGENCIES. WE’RE A GRASS FED, PASTURE BASED FARM. WE SELL DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS. SO PEOPLE WERE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IS IT SAFE IF THE GROUND ON YOUR FARM AND YOUR ANIMALS WERE EXPOSED TO THE THE SMOG FROM THE CHEMICAL BURN. SENIOR AGRICULTURE ADVISOR FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, ROD SNYDER, SAYS MORE THAN 100 SOIL SAMPLES HAVE BEEN DONE ON BOTH THE OHIO AND PENNSYLVANIA SIDES OF THE DERAILMENT. AND ON TALL PINES FARMS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS, WE’VE BEEN DOING SOIL, SOIL TESTING TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY OF THE CHEMICALS FROM THE INCIDENT AREN’T CAUSING LONG TERM PROBLEMS FOR PLANTS OR ANIMALS OR FOR THE SOIL. HE SAYS. SO FAR, SO GOOD. BUT THEIR MONITORING WON’T LET UP. WE’RE HERE FOR THE LONG HAUL TO HOLD THE THE THE, YOU KNOW, NORFOLK SOUTHERN ACCOUNTABLE AND TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE CLEANUP IS GOING AS IT SHOULD. WAGNER WANTS TO KNOW IF LONG TERM EFFECTS ARISE. THESE AGENCIES WILL BE THERE. THERE NEEDS TO BE RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR FARMERS DOWN THE ROAD IF THEY HAVE ISSUES, WHETHER ENVIRONMENTALLY OR FINANCIALLY. AND WAGNER TELLS ME THAT SHE’S BEEN HONEST WITH HER CUSTOMERS SINCE THE DERAILMENT. BUT SHE SAYS ONLY TIME WILL TELL IF THE DERAILMENT COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF BUSINESS FOR HER FARM. AND OTHERS REPORTI
EPA, state agencies visit Darlington Township farm to talk aftermath of East Palestine train derailment
Federal and state environmental agencies visited Pennsylvania and Ohio farms to listen to farmers’ experiences following the East Palestine train derailment
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Updated: 7:02 PM EDT Jun 8, 2023
Federal and state environmental agencies spent Thursday visiting Pennsylvania and Ohio farms near the East Palestine train derailment site.The goal of the visits was for representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Farm Bureau and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau to listen to farmers' experiences following the controlled release of toxic chemicals from the derailed train cars.Rachel Wagoner, co-manager of Tall Pines Farms, said the farm is about 3.5 miles southeast of the train derailment site in Darlington Township.“They had to worry about all of the people in the city center, you know. People out in rural Darlington, were we as much of a concern? Not immediately,” Wagoner said.Wagoner said that changed soon after, with an open line of communication with state and federal environmental agencies.“We are a grass-fed, pasture-based farm. We sell directly to consumers, so people, you know, have questions about, is it safe if the ground on your farm and your animals were exposed to the smog from the chemical burn?” Wagoner said.Rod Snyder, senior agriculture advisor for the EPA, said more than 100 soil samples have been done on both the Ohio and Pennsylvania sides of the derailment and on Tall Pines Farms.“Over the last several months, we've been doing soil testing to make sure that the chemicals from the incident aren't causing long-term problems for plants, or animals, or for the soil,” Snyder said.He said, so far, so good — but their monitoring won't let up.“We are here for the long haul to hold Norfolk Southern accountable, to make sure that the cleanup is going as it should,” Snyder said.Wagoner said she wants continued transparency and resources should their farms see long-term effects.“There needs to be resources available for farmers down the road if they have issues, whether environmentally or financially,” she said.Wagoner said she's been honest with her customers since the derailment, but only time will tell if the derailment aftermath leads to a loss in customers.
DARLINGTON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Federal and state environmental agencies spent Thursday visiting Pennsylvania and Ohio farms near the East Palestine train derailment site.
The goal of the visits was for representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio EPA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Farm Bureau and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau to listen to farmers' experiences following the controlled release of toxic chemicals from the derailed train cars.
Rachel Wagoner, co-manager of Tall Pines Farms, said the farm is about 3.5 miles southeast of the train derailment site in Darlington Township.
“They had to worry about all of the people in the city center, you know. People out in rural Darlington, were we as much of a concern? Not immediately,” Wagoner said.
Wagoner said that changed soon after, with an open line of communication with state and federal environmental agencies.
“We are a grass-fed, pasture-based farm. We sell directly to consumers, so people, you know, have questions about, is it safe if the ground on your farm and your animals were exposed to the smog from the chemical burn?” Wagoner said.
Rod Snyder, senior agriculture advisor for the EPA, said more than 100 soil samples have been done on both the Ohio and Pennsylvania sides of the derailment and on Tall Pines Farms.
“Over the last several months, we've been doing soil testing to make sure that the chemicals from the incident aren't causing long-term problems for plants, or animals, or for the soil,” Snyder said.
He said, so far, so good — but their monitoring won't let up.
“We are here for the long haul to hold Norfolk Southern accountable, to make sure that the cleanup is going as it should,” Snyder said.
Wagoner said she wants continued transparency and resources should their farms see long-term effects.
“There needs to be resources available for farmers down the road if they have issues, whether environmentally or financially,” she said.
Wagoner said she's been honest with her customers since the derailment, but only time will tell if the derailment aftermath leads to a loss in customers.
