PHILADELPHIA — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has ordered CSX to clean up and restore the areas affected by the train derailment on Feb. 16 in Mt. Carbon, West Virginia, according to a press release.
A 109-car CSX train carrying over three million gallons of crude oil derailed, resulting in an explosion, fires, the shutdown of two water treatment plants and the evacuation of hundreds of residents, stated the release.
The EPA order follows an emergency response conducted under a Unified Command with local, state and federal agencies and CSX responding, continued the release.
CSX must first develop and submit a comprehensive plan, including short- and long-term restoration and cleanup, for all of the areas impacted by the derailment under EPA’s order, reported the release.
Under the order, noted the release, CSX must continue air and water monitoring/testing; contain and recover oil from the Kanawha River, Armstrong Creek and their tributaries and the adjoining shorelines; conduct long-term monitoring of the creek, river and adjoining shorelines to detect any oil that may be discharged from area facilities; and more.
Read the entire release here.
