The EPA temporarily halted the out-of-state shipments and rerouted them to certified facilities in Ohio as fallout from the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment continues as other states raise concerns.
Norfolk Southern, the rail company being held responsible for cleaning up the leak of toxic chemicals at the derailment site, was expecting to ship about two-million gallons of contaminated firefighting water to a facility in Harris County, Texas, and solid waste materials to a facility in Belleville, Michigan.
The operations were apparently being carried out without officials in both the states being notified until the Environmental Protection Agency stepped in last week.
"I know there are folks in other states who have concerns, legitimate concerns, about how this waste is being transported and how it will be disposed of. EPA will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to use our longstanding experience and expertise in these matters to ensure the health and safety, and support the East Palestine community and to hold Norfolk Southern accountable," Debra Shore, an EPA regional administrator, said at a press conference.
In East Palestine, residents are still concerned about contaminants that have leaked into the soil and air. This week, additional wells will be drilled under the crash site to assess groundwater contamination, according to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine.
French police searched the Paris Olympic organizers’ headquarters on Tuesday as part of corruption investigations into contracts linked to the Games, according to prosecutors, the third straight time graft allegations have dogged a Summer Olympics.
Last week, at an ancient burial site in Germany, a 3,000 year-old sword from the middle Bronze Age was uncovered, and it still looks as good as new. Despite being buried for thousands of years, researchers said it was still "gleaming."
Mass shootings and violence across the U.S. killed at least six people this weekend, including a Pennsylvania state trooper, and wounded dozens of people. Multiple people with guns fired shots at a holiday crowd in Missouri and bullets flew among teenagers partying in Illinois.
The unstable conditions triggered thunderstorms that knocked out power from Oklahoma to Mississippi. It's also producing gusty winds in the Southwest that raised wildfire threats in Arizona and New Mexico.
Houston, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Nashville, Phoenix and Rhode Island were among the hardest-hit metro areas. The Twin Cities saw a 106% increase in evictions filings in March.
