Stitt blocks 2,600 cubic yards of waste from Ohio train derailment from entering Oklahoma
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt blocked 2,600 cubic yards of waste from the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment from being discarded in Oklahoma.
Norfolk Southern Railway, who is responsible for the incident and for cleaning up the site, has been looking for suitable places around the U.S. to take the toxic waste to.
Michigan also stopped waste from the derailment from being shipped to its state after pushback.
Indiana has received about 200 cubic yards of waste from the derailment.
At the end of February, the Environmental Protection Agency became involved with Norfolk in the waste removal process. The EPA reviews and approves disposal plans, including locations and transportation routes for the waste.
Governor Stitt was alerted by the EPA Saturday around 5 p.m. that a shipment of waste from the train derailment in Ohio was on its way to be dumped at a suitable site in Oklahoma.
Stitt began speaking with Norfolk Southern, Oklahoma senators, the director of the EPA and Congressman Lucas. The waste was set to be dumped within Congressman Lucas's district.
Governor Stitt questioned why the waste was being brought to Oklahoma and was not satisfied with the EPA's answers.
Stitt told the EPA that the shipment could not come to Oklahoma, and was notified by Norfolk Southern that the shipment has been blocked as of late Saturday night.
The EPA released the following statement about the incident:
Let’s be clear: Norfolk Southern is under contract with a permitted disposal facility in Oklahoma that is able to accept this waste. As is always the case with waste disposal, EPA has safeguards in place to ensure communities are protected every step of the way.
Governor Stitt is playing politics at the expense of the people of East Palestine, Ohio. It’s not only wrong, it’s unlawful to refuse shipments of waste because they come from other states. We are reviewing all legal authorities to ensure that the people of East Palestine, who’ve suffered enough already, don’t become victims of this political grandstanding.
