MARCH 6, 2015
PHILADELPHIA, PA
CSX Transportation Inc. (CSX) has agreed with the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency to clean up and restore the areas affected by the Feb. 16 train
derailment in Mount Carbon, W. Va. Twenty-seven cars derailed from the 109-car
CSX train carrying more than three million gallons of crude oil from the Bakken
Shale in North Dakota. The derailment resulted in an explosion,
fires, loss of a house and required nearby residents to
evacuate.
The settlement signed by CSX and EPA was
filed on March 3 and replaces EPA’s order for cleanup and restoration issued
last week on Feb. 27. Within the next 21 days, CSX has agreed to submit a
comprehensive long-term plan for cleaning up and restoring areas impacted by
the derailment.
CSX has committed significant resources to
respond to the derailment and has worked closely with the Unified Command at
the scene. Under the agreement CSX will continue the shorter-term cleanup
efforts that are already underway.
This includes air and water monitoring and
testing; recovering oil from Armstrong Creek, the Kanawha River and their
tributaries and shorelines; and educating residents about the potential effects
from the incident including potential health threats, protective measures,
wildlife preservation, and claims and notification procedures.
“The agreement between CSX and EPA provides
a framework within which CSX can work, with oversight from EPA and West
Virginia, to ensure that oil contamination from the derailment in Mount Carbon
continues to be safely contained and that long lasting impacts are mitigated to
protect human health and the environment,” said EPA Regional Administrator
Shawn M. Garvin.
EPA and the West Virginia Department of
Environmental Protection have worked closely together to ensure proper cleanup
and minimize any immediate or lasting environmental impacts.
The initial emergency response was conducted
under a Unified Command with federal, state and local agencies and CSX
responding. The response was conducted during and affected by harsh
winter weather conditions. The residents were able to return to their
homes in six days after being evacuated. Clearance for their return was
based on verification from consistent monitoring and testing of air, drinking
water and surface water. The roadway and the railroad track are now open.
The agreement is available here: