Residents seeking information on the June 30 train derailment
and toxic spill near Gardeau in southern McKean County now have a
new source to use.
On Monday, state Department of Environmental Protection
officials announced the establishment of a link from the agency’s
Web site – www.depweb.state.pa.us – which will afford area
residents the opportunity to view up-to-date information concerning
the derailment, including previous press releases issued by DEP
along with a brief history of the derailment and its environmental
consequences.
“A number of McKean and Cameron county residents have reported
to us that the derailment has had a profound affect on their lives
and that they would like to know more about ongoing activities,”
DEP Northwest Regional Director Kelly Burch said. “The Web site is
one more tool for residents to stay current with all the
accident-related activities.”
On June 30, a Norfolk Southern train derailed while descending
Keating Summit. Railroad officials confirmed the train was
traveling about 73 mph at the time of the crash; the speed limit
posted for that area of rail line was 15 mph.
As a result of the derailment, about 44,000 gallons of sodium
hydroxide, also known as caustic soda or lye, spilled when 28 rail
cars left the track. Some of the sodium hydroxide spilled into the
nearby Sinnemahoning-Portage Creek and wiped out aquatic life and
fish from the accident site to a point more than seven miles
downstream at the mouth of Fourmile Run near Emporium in Cameron
County.
Officials also said an unknown amount of sodium hydroxide also
soaked into the ground in and around the derailment site. The
residual material needs to be addressed to ensure a complete
recovery of the creek.
On Aug. 14, DEP issued a notice of violation to Norfolk
Southern. The notice stated Norfolk Southern’s actions violated
numerous state environmental regulations, and under state law, are
subject to up to $35,000 penalties a day, starting with the
original date of the spill and continuing until the violations
cease.
The notice of violation cites the railroad for the ongoing
discharge of pollution and encroachments into Commonwealth waters,
the unpermitted disposal of wastes and release of hazardous
substances.
Earlier this month, DEP Community Relations Coordinator Freda
Tarbell said the railroad was developing a site assessment plan
through the use of borings and drilling monitoring wells to
determine what the perimeter is for the contamination.
To view the information concerning the derailment from DEP’s Web
page, visitors can look on the left side of the homepage, click on
“Northwest” or “Northcentral,” then “Community Involvement” and
lastly “Norfolk Southern Train Derailment.”
In addition to the Web site, the DEP has also established a
public document repository at the Cameron County Conservation
District Office at the county courthouse. Residents should contact
the office to schedule an appointment to review the files.
