WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator JD Vance (R-OH) led a bipartisan and bicameral letter to Michael Regan, Administrator of the U.S. EPA, to request indoor air testing for the residents of East Palestine, Ohio, and, if necessary, the provision of residential decontamination services. Today’s requests are the result of multiple conversations between Senator Vance and residents of East Palestine, who have shared concerns that appropriate testing and cleaning services have not been provided to date.
Senator Vance is joined in this effort by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Representatives Warren Davidson (R-OH-08), Max Miller (R-OH-7), Shontel Brown (D-OH-11), Emilia Sykes (D-OH-13), and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09).
The letter reads, in part:
“Numerous residents and certain experts have raised concerns about potential indoor contaminants. To prioritize the health and well-being of the East Palestine community, we suggest that the EPA ensure the availability of limited testing for compounds, including acrylate compounds and vinyl-chloride, in residences upon request, post-cleanup.
“We cannot overstate the importance of transparent and proactive communication. While we recognize the EPA’s perspective that vinyl-chloride and acrylate compounds may arise from ordinary household activities, it is undeniable that residents’ worry about these compounds stems from the derailment. By allowing Norfolk Southern to skirt its responsibility to the community and refuse to offer this sort of testing following cleanup, the EPA risks eroding the trust of many in our community.
“Should testing identify elevated levels of these compounds, we urge you to require Norfolk Southern to ensure another round of cleaning as follow-up. This seems a small price to pay for the peace of mind it would bring to our constituents.”
Read the full letter here and below:
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