The Ohio EPA continues to monitor the situation taking air samples. They are reporting that there are no levels of concern being found in the samples. Norfolk and Southern Railroad has filed their remediation plan for cleaning up the spill and ensuring the safety of the environment.
Part of the plan includes digging multiple wells in order to monitor groundwater in the area. Water systems along the Ohio River continue to monitor the water for chemicals. The WV Health Dept. suggested that all the systems close their intakes until the danger passes. Weirton, WV on Feb. 7th detected traces of butyl acrylic in the water and out of an abundance of caution closed their intake values. The level detected was 1.23 parts per Billion.
The Steubenville water system added three times the normal levels of activated charcoal powder to their system on a daily basis to deal with the chemical. The added charcoal powder is enough to neutralize 50 parts per Billion of the butyl acrylic. The river at normal stage moves less than a mile an hour and its at least 257 miles from the nearest lock and dam near Weirton where the chemical was detected to Greenup Dam. Any chemicals most likely would be very diluted by the time it reaches our area. (Could take weeks or even months to get here at that speed)
Locally water works continues to monitor the intake from the river and would take appropriate action if any of the chemicals from the spill are detected.
To clean up the chemical Ohio EPA and NS chose the nuclear option and burned off the remaining chemicals. That’s why the EPA is continuing to monitor the air. Locally the Portsmouth Health Dept. monitors air quality. If dangerous levels of toxins were discovered the public would be made aware and advised what to do.
The Ohio Dept. of Natural Resources reported 3500 fish were killed as a result of the spill in Little Beaver Creek (which is a tributary of the Ohio River). Residents are complaining of sore throats and some have reported sick and dead pets and livestock in that area.
It’s a huge spill and the cleanup and monitoring will probably go on for years.
Norfolk and Southern will be responsible for the cost of the cleanup.
Scioto County EMA Director, Larry Mullins, told SCDN, “I feel that we are in no danger from the spill or the air pollution from the burn off of the chemicals here and I am confident that the safeguards and personnel are in place locally with water dept. and the health dept. to let us know if we need to take precautions.”
