The US government’s specialized plane, the Environmental Protection Agency’s ASPECT plane, loaded with advanced sensors, was not flown over eastern Ohio until four days after a disastrous Norfolk Southern derailment, despite claims that it could be deployed within an hour of any chemical disaster. A whistleblower revealed that the plane could have provided crucial data about the chemicals released during the incident. The software writer and data interpreter for the plane suggested that it could have prevented the unnecessary burning of vinyl chloride if the plane had flown earlier, as it could have accurately detected the tank cars’ temperatures. The plane only flew a day after the controversial vent-and-burn action, and the data recorded during the flights was incomplete.
The revelations about the use of the ASPECT plane in response to the train derailment raise concerns about the Biden administration’s touted “whole-of-government response.” A request for a formal investigation has been made to the EPA inspector general by the Government Accountability Project, representing whistleblower Robert Kroutil, who labeled the mission as inconclusive due to incomplete and irregular data. The EPA stated that the plane was not requested until two days after the derailment due to icing conditions, and they believe that ground sensors were sufficient to monitor the air and water during the incident.
Despite the EPA’s assurances that air monitoring readings were below detection levels for most contaminants and that there were no sustained chemicals of concern in the air, many residents still report respiratory problems and rashes, expressing doubts about the safety of their town and waterways. The ongoing cleanup has cost the railroad more than $1 billion, with over 177,000 tons of soil and 67 million gallons of wastewater hauled away. The head of the NTSB has stated that the vent-and-burn was unnecessary as the tank cars were cooling off, confirming that there was no dangerous reaction happening inside them.
Robert Kroutil, who has decades of experience with the ASPECT program, has expressed concerns about the handling of the East Palestine mission, noting that flying over a train derailment soon after the incident while fires are still burning is crucial. He criticized the decision not to fly the ASPECT plane over the derailment site before the vent-and-burn action, suggesting that officials may have chosen to remain ignorant of potential risks. Kroutil’s former boss, Rick Turville, also expressed frustration about the delayed deployment of the plane, emphasizing the importance of swift action in such emergencies to save lives.
The EPA manager in charge of the program, Paige Delgado, did not respond to questions about the actions taken during the East Palestine mission. Kroutil alleges that Delgado ordered the chemical sensors to be turned off when flying over the creeks, despite concerns about chemicals reaching waterways. The official report on the flights does not mention the nearby creeks, raising questions about the completeness of the data gathered. Despite no fatalities in East Palestine, the incident had a significant impact on residents, with worries about future health problems persisting.
