Plant, soil testing continues near East Palestine

Jan 07, 2024

FILE - Work crews clean up the derailment of a Norfolk Southern cargo train near Springfield, Ohio, on March 4, 2023. Federal regulators are warning railroads Thursday, April 27, that the long trains they favor can cause all kinds of problems and contribute to derailments, so they want the railroads to ensure their training and operating procedures account for that.

Plant and soil testing is continuing in Lawrence and Beaver county communities near the East Palestine train derailment site.

Last week, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture took plant tissue samples at 15 properties with Enon Valley, New Galilee and Darlington zip codes, including 13 of the original Pennsylvania sites where soil was tested.

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Plant tissue is being tested to see whether plants have taken up any toxins related to the derailment from soil or water. Penn State Extension, which is funded by the PDA, is testing the tissue samples for the same substances soil and water were tested for in relation to the derailment. PSU Extension will also verify the results in conjunction with PDA.

Gov. Josh Shapiro's office said it is committed to continuing support for farmers and agricultural producers impacted by the derailment. In addition to plant tissue sampling, PDA is working closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state Department of Environmental Protection to monitor air, soil and water testing.

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