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EAST PALESTINE -- Temporary relocation assistance to residents impacted by the East Palestine train derailment will come to end, Norfolk Southern announced Tuesday.
According to a press release, the assistance will conclude Feb. 9 -- one year and six days to the day of the rail disaster that led to an evacuation of the village and the vent and burn of vinyl chloride from tankers compromised in the crash.
The railroad cited completed "major excavation and soil activities" as the reason behind the decision to end assistance. The last shipment of more than 167,000 tons of contaminated soil was shipped off site for disposal last month.
In the days following the derailment, residents were offered $1,000 from Norfolk Southern as "inconvenience fee" after a mandatory evacuation was issued on Feb. 6 for a one-mile by two-mile area surrounding East Palestine which included parts of both Ohio and Pennsylvania. Some residents chose not to return home once that order was lifted, citing safety and health concerns, and sought temporary residence outside of the village. The railroad reimbursed families for lodging, food and gas while major clean-up work was ongoing.
It's unclear how families are still displaced due to the derailment as no official number has been released. The Unity Council for the East Palestine Train Derailment -- a grassroots community group which advocates for and is composed of those affected by the disaster -- estimates that over 200 families have not returned home as health concerns remain.
To help alleviate some of those concerns, Norfolk Southern said residents can request an indoor cleaning of their homes before returning if they did not take advantage of a previous program offered by the Environmental Protection Agency.
"As a courtesy, temporarily relocated residents can access an indoor home cleaning program similar to the concluded EPA program by calling or visiting the Family Assistance Center," the press release stated. "Homes that have already been cleaned by Norfolk Southern, or the U.S. EPA, are ineligible for a second cleaning."
That EPA cleaning program was heavily criticized by residents doing an informational meeting detailing the program. Residents voiced frustration when the EPA confirmed the cleaning program involved no testing of the properties for dioxins, derailment-related chemicals or any other possible contaminants. The cleaning process as it was explained was meant to "clean for particular matter" -- dust and other particles that may have entered homes or indoor structures due to the clean-up and remediation work. Cleaning was also limited to inhabited areas of the home. Basement and attic cleaning were not included but were considered on a per-property basis. Hard surfaces were wet wiped and mopped and soft surfaces vacuumed. Carpets and upholstered furniture were cleaned during the process but mattresses were not.
The exact details of the cleaning program currently being offered were not disclosed.
Norfolk Southern also reported that while temporary-housing assistance will end, community support will be ongoing and other resources still available.
"The Family Assistance Center will be reaching out to those residents who temporarily relocated to ensure they know what benefits and support will remain in place, and the options that are available to them," said Will Harden, senior director of Legal Claims at Norfolk Southern. "We're directly helping those families with their plans to return home, understanding everyone's situation is unique."
The press release reported that "through November, there have been more than 11,540 family visits to the Family Assistance Center (FAC)" and that "Norfolk Southern has provided more than $20.7 million in direct financial assistance to families."
For information about any of the support programs, residents may contact the Norfolk Southern Family Assistance Center (191 E. Rebecca St.) at 800-230-7049 during operating hours.. The center is open to residents Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday from noon to 8 p.m. It is closed Saturday and Sunday.
selverd@mojonews.com