U.S. EPA

Several lawsuits related to the 2023 East Palestine, Ohio derailment have been filed by local residents, school districts, corporations, the state and the federal government.

It's been one year since a Norfolk Southern train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in East Palestine. Since then, Norfolk Southern has been cleaning and remediating the effected areas, but some residents still think the town is unsafe to live in.

The U.S. EPA will hold free lead soil testing on Saturday at the Concerned Citizens Community Council at 13611 Kinsman Rd.

Plant tissue samples taken from agricultural areas around East Palestine show no contamination from the train derailment in February. Some residents have questioned whether the list of compounds they were tested for was complete while experts said the tests are appropriate.

Soil samples showed no contamination from the train derailment. But some residents say their own tests show vinyl chloride in their bodies.

The Environmental Protection Agency received billions from President Biden's climate legislation, but the EPA inspector general warns there is "a high risk for fraud, waste and abuse."

Gov. Mike DeWine and Sen. J.D. Vance have criticized the U.S. EPA for moving too slowly on removal of toxic soil in East Palestine.

The EPA proposed limiting the amount of harmful "forever chemicals" in drinking water to the lowest detectable levels, a move it said will save thousands of lives and prevent serious illnesses.

Dioxins form when chemicals like vinyl chloride are burned. Experts say the presence of dioxins in East Palestine is likely, but the amount and risk level will remain unknown without proper testing.

The public meeting included updates from local, state and federal officials, a question and answer session that ended in residents yelling at officials and an information fair for residents to talk one on one with agencies.