INDIANAPOLIS — Governor Eric J. Holcomb offered the following statement regarding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to transport hazardous materials from the East Palestine train derailment to an Indiana facility.
The 2023 Ohio train derailment occurred on February 3, 2023, at 8:55 p.m. EST, when 38 cars of a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio.
“I continue to object to the EPA Administrator’s decision, from Washington, D.C., to move the hazardous waste from the East Palestine train derailment to Indiana. Further, there has been a lack of communication with me and other Indiana officials about this decision.
After learning third-hand that materials may be transported to our state yesterday, I directed my environmental director to reach out to the agency. The materials should go to the nearest facilities, not moved from the far eastern side of Ohio to the far western side of Indiana. I have made a request to speak to the administrator to discuss this matter. I want to know exactly what precautions will be taken in the transport and disposition of the materials.”
A landfill less than 50 miles west of Indianapolis will receive some of the contaminated waste from the toxic train derailment.
After concerns were raised on where the hazardous waste was going — towns in Michigan and Texas complained they didn’t receive notice — the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency paused the shipments to provide some oversight to the disposal plan. The shipments resumed on Monday, and the agency announced some of the waste would be heading to Indiana.
The Indiana site in question is a landfill in Roachdale, a small town in Putnam County.
