NASW Ohio & PA's Chapters’ Statement on the Train Derailment in East Palestine, Ohio-

NASW Ohio and NASW Pennsylvania Chapters’ Statement on the Train Derailment in East Palestine, Ohio- The train derailment that took place earlier this month in East Palestine, Ohio is an emergency situation that requires social workers to take action. East Palestine is adjacent to Pennsylvania. Ohio and Pennsylvania have a duty to their citizens to take action. Environmental justice is social justice– people are a part of and tremendously affected by the environment.

This disaster has and will continue to have environmental consequences. The Ohio River is a major waterway that flows through six states and serves as a source of drinking water for five million people, and contaminated waterways have already led to the deaths of an estimated 3,500 fish. Affected residents have reported nausea, shortness of breath, and headaches. Also reported have been the sickness and death of animals in the vicinity of the derailment site, including livestock. Economic consequences are also at play; many people cannot afford to move out of the area, and homeowners will now face difficulty selling.

Ohio and Pennsylvania need to ensure communities within a 50-mile radius of the derailment have what they need as they endure the aftermath of this incident. Reparations should be provided for related costs including those for relocation and healthcare.

We urge Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to declare an emergency for East Palestine and use Ohio’s resources to appropriately assist those affected by this disaster. Federal assistance offered by President Biden has been requested, however just last month DeWine announced the largest “Rainy Day” fund in Ohio history– the state has the ability to provide aid to those affected.

Norfolk Southern Corporation needs to be held accountable for not only the safety issues that led to the derailment, but the mismanagement of the incident response as well that put residents and first responders at risk. We thank Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro for his letter criticizing Norfolk Southern and its failure to coordinate with Ohio and Pennsylvania response teams, and share his belief that decisions were made to prioritize profit over safety.

As we recover from this incident, mechanisms for ongoing monitoring of the possible long-term health and environmental effects need to be put in place. As we know from past incidents such as September 11th or the use of burn pits in the military, health impacts from exposure to toxic chemicals can take years to develop. We cannot simply clean up and return to normal.

Prevention efforts to minimize future safety concerns need to be prioritized rather than simply responding to disasters when they occur. Improvements need to be made to railroad safety regulations that are informed by our workers. Rail unions should be empowered to raise safety concerns, and those concerns should be addressed. Efforts should also be made to ensure railroads are adequately staffed and have appropriate sick leave policies.

Specifically, we urge President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg to immediately reinstate safety measures, including the requirement to upgrade braking systems, that were implemented by the Obama administration and repealed under the Trump administration. We also urge that the category of “high-hazard flammable trains” be expanded to cover Class 2 flammable gasses – such as the vinyl chloride involved in the crash – as recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board nearly a decade ago.

To those affected by this disaster, NASW Ohio and Pennsylvania stand with you. We have heard reports from our members that many local residents and surrounding areas are facing significant mental health consequences, as they deal with the fear and anxiety of what may happen to themselves and their families. Social workers in Ohio and Pennsylvania are prepared to help alleviate those challenges. If you know of efforts where social workers could assist please contact our chapters, Ohio- dsmith.naswoh@socialworkers.org and Pennsylvania- jbyrd.naswpa@socialworkers.org.

Evacuated residents can request assistance by visiting the Norfolk Southern Family Assistance Center at Abundant Life Church located at 46469 State Route 46, New Waterford, Ohio or calling 1-800-230-7049. Air and water testing can be accessed by calling the Residential Re-Entry Request Hotline at 330-849-3919.

If you are in the position to financially support those affected, follow the link below to donate to their GoFundMe campaigns. https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/ohio-train-help