On February 17, Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding released the following statement on animal health concerns following the East Palestine train derailment:

"Pennsylvanians' health and safety, as well as the safety of animals and the environment are the Shapiro Administration's top priority. Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture veterinarians and Pennsylvania Animal Health Commission partners directly advised livestock and poultry owners and private veterinarians within 10 kilometers of the train derailment on safely housing, feeding, and caring for animals during and after the incident.

“Private veterinarians received instructions for toxicology testing should any of their clients report respiratory or other symptoms.

“The department has received no reports of livestock, poultry, or other domestic animal health symptoms that could be attributed to air contaminants since the incident.

“The Department received two reports from private veterinarians treating horses affected by smoke immediately following the controlled burn and will continue to monitor the situation.

“Poultry, livestock and pet owners should contact their private veterinarians with concerns about unusual respiratory issues, or decreases in feeding, or egg or milk production.

“The department is in continuous contact with Department of Environmental Protection, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the EPA regarding water quality and environmental sampling results, and will advise Pennsylvanians immediately should testing yield results that warrant additional precautions."

More Information

Visit DEP’s Ohio/PA Train Derailment webpage for more information on the state’s response.

NewsClips:

-- WITF: PA Emergency Services Implore State For Urgent Help With Staffing, Funding - Fire, EMS, Police

-- StateImpactPA - Reid Frazier: Ohio/PA Train That Derailed Wasn’t Considered ‘High Hazard,’ Could Stricter Rules Make Hazardous Material Transport Safer?

-- Post-Gazette - Ford Turner: PA Lawmakers Slamming Norfolk Southern As ‘Ignorant’ And Greedy After Ohio/PA Train Derailment

-- TribLive: PA Cong. Deluzio Calls For Congressional Action After Ohio/PA Train Derailment

-- TribLive: Online Resources For Information On Ohio/PA Train Derailment

-- TribLive: Allegheny County Air Quality Remains Unaffected By Train Derailment, Officials Say

-- UnionProgress.com: Experts: Pittsburgh Water Safe To Drink Following Ohio/PA Train Derailment

-- Post-Gazette - Anya Litvak, Others: What We Know About Health Concerns Related To Ohio/PA Train Derailment

-- AP: Ohio To Open Medical Clinic Near Ohio/PA Trail Derailment As Health Worries Linger

-- Post-Gazette: Ohio Residents Fear For Their Health And Answers Are Hard To Find - ‘How Long Is This Going To Last?’

-- USA Today: Ohio/PA Train Derailment Fact Check: What’s True And What’s False?

-- Wheeling News: NTSB Looking At Overheated Wheel Bearing In Ohio/PA Train Derailment Investigation

-- PA Capital-Star: Casey, Fetterman Join Ohio Counterparts To Call For More Federal Action On Ohio/PA Train Derailment

-- New Jersey Monitor: Ohio/PA Train Derailment Prompts New Calls To Block PA Natural Gas Transport Plan By Train/Truck To Proposed New Jersey LNG Export Terminal

-- AP: EPA Chief At Ohio/PA Train Derailment Site: ‘Trust The Government’

-- USA Today: EPA Will ‘Hold Norfolk Southern Responsible’ For Ohio/PA Train Derailment, Cleanup

-- Bloomberg: Norfolk Southern CEO Pledges To Ensure Safety Of Ohio Town After Train Derailment

-- AP: Norfolk Southern CEO Visits Ohio/PA Train Derailment Site

-- Norfolk Southern: Furthers Environmental Efforts In East Palestine, Ohio [Train Derailment Site]

-- Bloomberg: Ohio/PA Train Crash Unleashes Local Rage, Suspicion Over Toxic Chemicals

-- CNN: Ohio Residents Worry Rashes, Headaches, Other Symptoms May Be Tied To Chemicals From Ohio/OA Train Crash

-- Canton Repository: Lawsuit: Fish And Animals Dying As Far As 20 Miles Away From Ohio/PA Train Derailment Site

Related Articles This Week:

-- Gov. Shapiro Lays Out Serious Concerns Regarding Norfolk Southern’s Incident Management After Meeting With Beaver County Officials  [PaEN]

-- Gov. Shapiro Announces Pennsylvania Will Conduct Independent Water Sampling Following Ohio/PA Train Derailment  [PaEN]

-- PA Agriculture On Ohio/PA Train Derailment Impacts: 2 Reports Of Horses Affected By Smoke Immediately Following Controlled Burn; No Reports Of Livestock, Domestic Animal Health Symptoms After [PaEN]

-- Two PA Senate Committees To Hold Hearings On Ohio/PA Train Derailment: Emergency Preparedness- Feb. 23; Transportation- Feb. 27 - Public Invited To Submit Questions  To Transportation [PaEN]

-- Ohio/PA Train Derailment, Pipeline Explosions, Uncontrolled Releases Put Spotlight On Public Health, Safety Threats Posed By Petrochemical, Natural Gas Industrial And Pipeline Infrastructure In PA  [PaEN]

-- Groups Urge DEP To Temporarily Halt Operations At Shell Petrochemical Plant In Beaver County; File 2nd Notice Of Intent To Sue For Air Pollution Violations  [PaEN]

-- DEP Issued 754 Notices Of Violation For Defective Oil & Gas Well Casing, Cementing, The Fundamental Protection Needed To Prevent Gas Migration, Groundwater & Air Contamination, Explosions  [PaEN]

-- Pennsylvania Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Feb. 11 to 17  [PaEN]

-- Susquehanna River Basin Commission Approves 38 Water Use Requests For Shale Gas Well Drilling Pads In Bradford, Clearfield, Lycoming, Potter, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Wyoming Counties  [PaEN]

-- Better Path Coalition Hosts Feb. 21 Webinar On DEP's Federally-Funded Oil & Gas Well Plugging Program [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - Feb. 18  [PaEN]

-- DEP Approves Permits For Transcontinental Gas Regional Energy Access Expansion Pipeline Project in Luzerne, Northampton, Bucks, Chester, Monroe Counties  [PaEN]

-- Environmental Health Project Blog: Natural Gas Compressor Stations - A Guide To Protecting Your Health And The Environment [Photo: FracTracker, Clinton County] [PaEN]

-- PA Environmental Defense Foundation Files Court Motion To Prevent Unconstitutional Spending Of DCNR Oil & Gas Revenues For Nonconservation Purposes  [PaEN]

[Posted: February 18, 2023]

2/20/2023